After the Widowmaker
by Moebius2015
Summary: What happened after Mac and Nikki escaped the fate Murdoc had in mind for them? What is going on in Nikki's head after that terrible adventure in Mac's world? This was my first FanFiction ever, first published on MacGyveronline. I hope you'll like it.  The story makes more sense if you have seen the Widowmaker (episode 052/ Season 3 episode 8), and perhaps Fire and Ice and GX-1 too
1. Chapter 1

**After the Widowmaker**

 _Chapter one_

After Murdoc's fall from the Widowmaker, Mac had convinced Nikki to climb up again to the top of the mountain. They did not know if their SOS had reached Ellard in Ridgemount, and they couldn't just sit there and wait. Nikki was happy that Mac was back among the living, really, but she wished he could be a little more moderate sometimes. After the deep depression he had been into for 2 or 3 weeks, the adrenaline-kick he got from Murdoc's hunt had been exactly what he needed to be his old self again. Smiling, alive, and full of energy. On the contrary, as the stress that had kept her going during the hunt and the climbing was vanishing, Nikki could feel how exhausted she was. But there was Mac, pushing for them to go back to what was left of Pete's cabin in case help was on its way. If not, perhaps they would be lucky enough to find Murdoc's car and be able to drive back to town, or someone could pick them up on the road. Anyway, she had no wish to sleep in the forest and Mac's arguments were fair enough.

As they came close to the cabin, the night was falling, and they could see lights from a car up the road. People were talking up there, they had obviously seen the mines Murdoc had set up and they could not drive closer. Mac and Nikki recognized Pete's voice. They could hear how worried he way by the way he was talking.

"Pete!" Mac shouted. "We are here, we are OK!"

Pete: "Mac!? Is that you?! You OK? Is Nikki with you?"

Nikki: "Yes Pete, I am here too, we are OK both of us"

Pete: "Oh thanks goodness!"

Mac: "We will come to you through the wood, just wait!"

They reached the car where Pete and the local police were waiting. They had to explain everything about what had happened in the last 8 hours, and although the policeman had given them blankets to keep warm, Nikki could feel the humidity of the forest around her, creeping inside her skin and down to her very bones. Mac explained how Murdoc had fallen down the cliff, and although Nikki knew he was dead, the darkness around them made her uneasy, as if some evil presence were looking at her from the dark. She shivered and Pete noticed it.

Pete: "Now, you must be exhausted after such a day, it's time to go home for a good night sleep"

Mac: "Actually I am more starved than I am tired. Didn't eat a thing since morning. Could we stop and get something on the way? What you say Nikki?"

Nikki: "Well, that' fine for me but let's find some take-away and eat in the car OK? The sooner I am in my bed the better"

She slept most of the drive back to town while Pete and Mac were chatting. When they arrived to L.A., Pete drove to her place first: "Here you are Nikki. You'll be alright?"

Nikki: "Yes Pete, I'll be fine, thanks. I'll see you at the office tomorrow.."

Pete: "Take your day off, will you? You'll have enough to do trying to find yourself a new car."

Nikki was reluctant but had to admit that not having a car was impractical and she needed to fix that detail as soon as possible.

Mac: "Look Nikki, I can pick you up with the Nomad and help you find a car. After all, if it hadn't been for me you'd still have one"

Nikki: "Come on MacGyver, you will not start and blame yourself for that too! It was MY decision to come and visit you, you did not ask me to do it!"

Mac: "Well, you came for my sake, and I thank you for that. But Murdoc came for me too, and he blew your car up. So in a way it's my fault if you don't have a car anymore."

Nikki: "Oh, you are impossible! Stop blaming yourself for everything that happens around you, will you?!" Partly surrendering, Mac smiled: "I'll try. Is 8 o'clock fine for you?"

Nikki was about to fight back but she got disarmed by his calm tone and smile. "OK, 8 o'clock then. Thanks Mac. Good night Pete."

Pete waited to see her safely inside the building before he drove off to the marina. Nikki called for the elevator, and while she was waiting, she became suddenly aware of how silent it was. The day had been so full of noise and action, it felt somewhat awkward now that it was so silent. Her neighborhood was very quiet though, and there was nothing strange with it. She had no bag, nothing to carry, as all her stuff had burnt up in her car at Pete's cabin. Luckily she still had her keys with her. She stepped in and went straight to the bathroom to prepare a delicious warm bath. While the water was running, she went to the kitchen and grabbed an apple. Then she stepped into the warm water and allowed herself to relax, at last.

She could see the last day as in a movie. How she had left home, the drive to Ridgemount and how she had been worried about Mac. The awful face he had when she showed up, gray in the skin, looking like he hadn't slept for weeks, and how angry he was at her for coming. How she had tried to bring him back down and met a wall. She had tried to force him to react, to open up, provoked him. " You didn't push her, did you?" she had asked. She could still hear his words when he shouted in pain and anger "YES! I pushed her away when she needed something from me. I hurt her. Then she fell!"

She hadn't have the time to think about what he meant back then. Mac had stepped in the cabin and the Murdoc-nightmare had begun. But now she wondered. What was it she needed from him, and why had he pushed her away? She could not imagine Mac refusing anything to his friend. Being his colleague, she knew he could be rude, their relationship had been based on bickering, they couldn't agree on the right way to do things at work, they were both stubborn, proud and independent. But even with that in mind, she knew he would never refuse to help her if she asked. So it did not make any sense that he could have refused to help his best friend? He had never managed to refuse anything to his friend Jack Dalton, even knowing that it always ended in a catastrophe, he could not say no. What was it Mike had asked from him?

The day after, Mac picked her up and drove her to the place she had bought her former car. The seller was a nice fellow, Mac checked that the engine was fine, and she was soon sitting back her own wheel again. Mac stood at her opened window, his hand resting on the door. "I hope you'll be happy with it" he said.

Nikki: "Yes, it feels great, I am sure it will be fine. Thanks for your help Mac"

Mac: "I'm glad I could help. Look.., you have any plan for the rest of the day?"

Nikki: "Well, not exactly... I wasn't counting on having my day off so I didn't plan anything really. Why?"

Mac looked a little shy suddenly, like he didn't know how to say what he had in mind.

Mac: "Would you... er.. how... er... want to do something together? I don't feel like sitting home on my own yet... Would be nice with some company" he said with a poor smile.

Nikki: "Sure, why not? You have something in mind?"

Mac: "Nothing special no. Maybe take the boat and go fishing?"

Nikki: "Mm.. What about going for a run first, then fishing?"

Mac: "Wonderful! I'd love that!" he said with a big smile.

Nikki: "Good. I'll drive home and take some change, then I join you at your place, we can go from there."

Mac climbed in his car and drove back to the marina, both relieved and happy. Nikki smiled to herself. He had this boyish look when he was smiling, but still, she knew his sorrow from missing Mike and she was happy he had asked for her company. She drove home to pick what she needed for the day: first, an outfit for running, then what she needed to shower at Mac's place and clothes to change to for the afternoon. The sun was not that strong but perhaps she should take her sunglasses along too? Was it any use in taking an extra change, in case she fell in the water or smell fish after the boat-trip? Well, no, there was no reason for that to happen really. Then, she went to the kitchen to see what she could take with her for lunch. Mac certainly had all they needed, but she didn't like to come with empty hands and let him provide for everything. When she finally felt she had what she needed, she went down to her new car and drove away to the marina.

When she arrived, Mac was on the phone. He waved her in and she placed the food she had taken along in the fridge.

Mac: "Yeah, right Pete, thank you for calling. Bye"

Nikki: "Pete?.. Did he say if they managed to clear the road from all those mines?"

Mac: "Yeah they did. I can go and pick my jeep whenever I feel for it." He remained silent for a while, looking down at the pen he was playing with.

Nikki: "Is there something wrong?" Mac passed his hand through his hair, looking tired.

Mac: "I don't know Nikki. Pete said they did not find Murdoc's body"

Nikki: "What? But it MUST be down there somewhere! We saw him fall! He couldn't have survived such a fall!"

Mac: "No, he shouldn't. Mike didn't" he said with a closed face.

Nikki: "Oh Mac I'm sorry! Perhaps Murdoc had an accomplice? Someone could have found him and moved him away?"

Mac: "I don't think so. Murdoc always works alone. I don't think he is the kind of guy who's got friends looking for him either. And if some of the locals had found him, they would have called the police or the hospital, don't you think?." They were both silent for a moment, trying to figure out what had happened. Then Mac shook his head and changed the subject: "You ready? Should we go?" Nikki smiled back: "Yes, let's go!"


	2. Chapter 2

_Chapter two_

They went for a long run along the beach. They chatted casually and Mac enjoyed having someone matching his physical condition. He usually had to run on his own, sometimes his neighbor Milt would cycle along but he would complain when the trip went too far. Nikki was doing just fine and he could see she was used to that kind of exercise. When they returned home, they were both sweat and happy. Mac fetched the orange juice from the fridge and a couple of glasses, then they went to sit on the veranda and cool down.

Nikki: "That was a very nice run. Is it your usual round?"

Mac: "Well yeah, you know... I try to vary and go different places but I like this one. Starts from home, shadow from the trees on the way, fresh air from the ocean... but now I'm starving. Want to take a shower while I fix something?"

Nikki: "I took a tuna-and-egg salad and some juice from home. You go take your shower, I will prepare what I had with me and you can fix whatever you wish to have extra while I am in the shower OK?"

Mac: "OK. I won't be long"

Nikki went to the kitchen and found some plates. She could hear Mac closing the bathroom's door upstairs and the water started running. It was strange to think that he was in the shower while she was there. Kind of intimate feeling. Their adventure in the mountain had brought them closer together, some of the ice between them had melted and their friendship had definitely grown stronger, more confident. She was happy about it, somehow it felt like she had a brother again. But then of course she did not think Mac could have the same feelings for her. He never had a sister, and she could not imagine for a second that she could fill the space left by Mike. They were much closer, and it was too early anyway, his wound was still wide open. Again she wondered what it was that Mike had needed from Mac and he had refused to give her... She heard the door open upstairs, and Mac calling from the landing: "Nikki? Bathroom's free!"

She had just dressed the table and placed the salad bowl on the kitchen bench. She grabbed her bag and climbed the stairs. She had never been up there before. There was two doors, one was closed and she assumed it was Mac's room. The other door was just pushed shut. Confident that it was the bathroom, she pushed it softly open, just to find that she was wrong. There was the bedroom, and Mac stood there, a towel round his waist, foraging in his cupboard after some fresh clothes. In her surprise, Nikki could not move for a moment. She hold her breath, fascinated by the handsome man she could not take her eyes from. A sudden wave of heat rose in her body from her toes and up to her face she could feel burning. She had never felt such a strong and sudden lust for anyone. Terrified by the violence of the feeling, she stepped back. At that moment, he turned around and saw her, surprised to find her there but concerned by the look on her face, like if she were afraid of something. He sent a quick glance at the window, in case there was danger there, but saw nothing. She looked like she was petrified while she stepped back, unaware of the open stairs just behind.

"Nikki! Watch the stairs!" he cried. He run to catch her. "Are you alright?" he asked. Nikki seemed to regain control of herself, broke eye-contact and freed herself from his grip.

"I'm alright" she said in a breath. She then hurried into the bathroom and locked the door. Mac stood there for a while, puzzled by her strange behavior, wondering what she could have seen or done that would have put her in such a state. Then he returned to his room and dressed up.

Meanwhile, Nikki was leaning against the bathroom's door, feeling her burning cheeks, the beating of her heart, still feeling his hands where he had griped her. She prayed that he did not see her face, nor understood what she felt and thought. Oh she could never look him up in the eyes again! What would he think of her!? She had never felt such a thing before. Never. What had happened to her!? And minutes ago she felt she had a brother again?! Ha! A brother! Right... Anything but a brother! These were not feelings a woman could have for her brother, definitely not. She shocked herself, how could she react like that to Mac? Just by looking at his back while he was unaware for her presence!? Naked back... He didn't seem to be embarrassed when he had seen her standing there, he was much more concerned by her security. Of course, he did not have that kind of thoughts for her, he saw her as a friend and colleague, and nothing more. "Come on!" she thought. "I have seen men in a towel before! Even very handsome men... Why do I react like that now? Why Mac? Well he is handsome, that's for sure, but I never felt attracted to him before. Not that way.. This is ridiculous!" Hearing Mac walking pass the door and down the stairs, she began to relax. With shaking hands she took off her clothes and stepped into the shower. Her mind was still working wildly and she found it difficult to ignore the flashes that her fantasy kept sending as she was so turned on. It was both very exciting and scary. Scary because she felt she had no control at all. It wasn't something she had chosen to feel or think, her mind worked on its own and she did not like it. And how on earth was she supposed to come out of this bathroom and look at Mac again? He was down in the kitchen, right under her feet, certainly waiting for her to come down! Oh God what am I going to do? I will sure turn bright red as soon as he looks at me! Perhaps I should go home, pretend I am not well? It wouldn't be such a lie. I AM not well! Definitely not. But I can't go, can I? He asked for my company so he wouldn't be alone, and he looked so pleased to go fishing together! But how can I spend several hours on that little boat with him now? I would die of shame if he came to know what went through my mind. Well. There is no way he ever could know, could he? No, no way. So if I just act as normal, well, everything would be perfectly fine. Just forget the whole thing. It's going to be OK.

She went down the stairs, breathing deeply and trying to compose herself. Luckily, Mac was out, probably preparing the boat for their afternoon trip. She jumped as he came in.

Mac: "Here you are! Then, let's have some lunch, I'm starving!" She could see that he was smiling to her, but somehow, his eyes were scrutinizing her. Like if he knew something was wrong but sensed she wouldn't want to discuss it. She was both relieved that he did not ask her any further, and scared that his sensibility was so acute that he also could have understood what was in her mind. She tried to find back to their wonderful morning but something was broken. After a casual chat on fishing and boats, the silence felt while they were eating. Mac cast side looks at her and she knew that, at one point, he would ask what this was all about. She offered to make some coffee, just to remember as she was speaking that Mac did not drink coffee.

Mac: "Nikki. Is there something wrong? Have I offended you in any way?"

Nikki: "Oh no Mac, really, you've done nothing wrong! It's me... I... suppose I am paying for all that stress yesterday... I... Perhaps I should go home and take it easy the rest of the day.." she said, unable to look him in the eyes. Mac didn't buy it.

Mac: "You sure? Sure there isn't anything else?"

Nikki: "I just need to rest Mac, really, nothing wrong on your side!" she said with a forced smile while she stood up and collected their plates from the table.

Mac sat silently at the table while she went back and forth to try and give the change. Then she went to the door, excusing herself for not coming with him fishing: "I would have loved that but I think it wiser to take it an other time. I hope you are not too disappointed..."

Mac: "No problem Nikki" He stood up and joined her at the door before she could go out. A finger under her chin, he lifted her head, his eyes diving deep into hers he said "If there is anything, you call me, right?" Uneasy, she hesitated. She just wished he would kiss her. At the same time she wished he could have cared less, and said good bye from the table. Sending him a desperate glance, she freed herself from his hand and rushed through the door. "I will Mac, thanks"

Mac stood at the door, looking at his friend walking away a little too fast to be right. He had the feeling that her hurry was not to go home, but to leave him. He neither understood nor liked it. He wished she could speak to him, tell him what it was, but he also felt he was the cause of the change in her and therefore the last person she would talk to. After she disappeared from the pontoon, he sighed and went back to the house. Nikki had taken the dishes to the kitchen. He put the rest of the food in the fridge and stepped out on the veranda. Sitting on the rail, he looked out to the sea, trying to remember all he had said and done in the morning. She had been fine and happy during their jogging tour, and while they were sitting out here enjoying their orange juice. Then he had got up to shower, and when she came up everything was changed. Could something have happened while he was in the bathroom? She said he had done nothing wrong but somehow, he felt it wasn't exactly true. Did she speak to someone? A phone call perhaps? Could she have seen something in the house that would have upset her? A picture? Papers? He couldn't think of anything. However, he went in, checked the phone and took a round in the living-room, examining everything, trying to think as if he were her, looking for a clue. Then he went up, stood where she had stood and tried to see what she had seen. Nothing seemed strange to him. Sighing, he decided he couldn't do more for the moment, and decided to go fishing on his own.

Lying on the deck of the boat, he was waiting for the fish to bait. The inaction reminded him on his days at Pete's cabin. The pain of loosing Mike was still acute, but it didn't feel as heavy as it had been back there. The climbing with Nikki, discovering Mike's harness had ripped off, had taken a burden off his chest. Still, he felt that she wouldn't have felt if she had not been hurt by his answer. She was such an experienced climber, she wouldn't have fallen, hadn't she been overwhelmed by emotions. Was he responsible for that? Well, for hurting her yes, but he couldn't have answered anything else. They had been friends since they were kids, and he had always seen her as a pal, one of the guys. Never as a potential girlfriend, even though he knew she was attracted to him. Love was so complicated... He had had so many girlfriends, and none of them could give him the same feeling of security as his friends. Friendship was simple. Not love. Love implied too much, you had to bond yourself to someone, your life changed, and when that someone went away you were ripped of a part of yourself, all alone again, trying to fill the gap and never managing to do just that. It was the commitment love implied that scared him. With friends it was easier. You could see them whenever you wanted, but they had their lives and you had yours. No obligation, no change, even if he was very committed to his friends he kept his independence. Mike was gone, but his life didn't really change. It was as if she were living her life as before, far from him, as they had done for years without seeing each other. The only difference was that he knew he could never meet her again. Time would help coming over that. But then, there was Nikki. Something had opened up between them in the last two days, and something had come between them again. It was not the same thing though. The irritation they felt in each other's presence was gone since the run away from Murdoc. They had been worried for each other, with no other task to accomplish than to stay alive. No performance, no choice of method, no mission to accomplish, just help each other. Caring. Be friends. That's just what they had been after that. Until this other thing had come between them again. Embarrassment, fear... Where did that come from? Oh, he didn't like to let a puzzle unsolved! And this one concerned him too closely to let it alone! He collected his fishing lines and turned the boat to sail home.

Meanwhile, Nikki felt awful. Being home was not the solution, she felt like a lion in a cage, not able to concentrate on anything but incapable of relaxing either. She felt bad about letting Mac down when he actually had asked for her company. She had done all the paperwork for the cars insurance already, the one that had exploded and the new one. Her cupboards were full, the laundry was done, and she had washed her flat before she drove to Pete's cabin the day before. She had nothing left to do! She decided to go to the office, at least she knew it was work waiting there and hoped it would be enough to force her mind out of the morning's events.

She had decided to avoid Pete, he had given her the day off and would expect her to take it. But of course, just her luck, he was in the corridor when she arrived and spotted her at once: "Nikki! What are you doing here? You were supposed to be home and rest!"

Nikki: "Oh come on Pete, I am fine you know. And I have work to do"

Pete: "I should have known. You are impossible. A workaholic, that's what you are!"

Nikki: "Well Pete, that makes two of us" she said while she passed him. He chuckled to himself. She entered her office, relieved to find the familiar environment where she could forget the rest of the world, buried in her work. She sat down and found the file she had been working on for the last weeks. This was a complicated case and she would soon be too busy with it to think of anything else. Or so she thought... The case was very similar to the GX-1 mission in East Germany. She had been so annoyed by that blonde girl MacGyver was so nice to when Pete and she had arrived in Switzerland. What was her name again? A ridiculous one, she had thought back then. Heidi, it was. Well, there wasn't anything wrong with it after all. Why did she pick it up back then? She realized only now that she had been jealous. Jealous because he had obviously been interested in that beautiful girl while he got annoyed when he saw that SHE had come along with Pete. The rat! She could still feel the irritation! By reaction, she had found a great pleasure in provoking him afterward. And he had fired back of course, enjoying himself when she had no choice but to share his sleeping-bag that night on the mountain. She wished she could have controlled her jealousy from the beginning, then things might have been different between them during that mission. Very different! Oh no! There was her fantasy spinning again! It wouldn't have been _any_ different! Mac was NOT attracted to her whatsoever, he didn't want to have her there and was mostly annoyed to have to drag her around during that mission. Or was he only annoyed because she had provoked him all the way? Well, since the Widowmaker, the provocation had vanished from their relationship and he looked pretty pleased to have her company. He had even asked for it, and seemed to enjoy his day so far. Oh great! She didn't manage to work either. She really had some sorting out to do. In a rage, she began to pack her bag. Who could she go to for help? If only she had had a sister! Someone she could discuss anything with. But she only had a brother, Daniel, and he was dead. He was friend with MacGyver in high school, and it was because of his death she had first met Mac. She had kissed him in Sumal's office when the guard had surprised them. Or was it he who had kissed her? Never mind. She wished he could step into her office at this very moment and do it again. She jumped as someone knocked at the door. She tried to compose herself before she answered. Ellen came in.

Ellen: "Mr Thornton would like a word with you, Mrs Carpenter"

Nikki: "With me? Fine, I am coming"

Pete: "Ah Nikki, since you are here I thought I would like to debrief what happened yesterday with you. Are you alright?"

Nikki: "Y... yes Pete, quite alright I think"

Pete: "It was a scary encounter you had with Murdoc. No nightmare, no unexplained fear?"

Nikki: "No Pete, I'm fine"

Pete: "Good. However, I wanted you to know that his body hasn't been found in the area it was supposed to be. The police found no track that could explain what happened to him"

Nikki: "Yes I know, I was at MacGyver's place when you spoke to him this morning, he told me. How is this possible Pete? He could not have survived such a fall, could he?"

Pete: "I don't know Nikki. With anyone else I would swear it was impossible. With Murdoc... He has survived so many certain deaths, I can not explain it"

Nikki: "So... if he is still alive, he will come back after MacGyver some day, right?"

Pete: "If he is still alive... yes, I am afraid he will" Nikki kept silent for a while, feeling a growing concern about Mac she had left alone for the afternoon.

Nikki: "You don't think he could be in danger right now, do you?"

Pete: "No Nikki, I don't think so. IF Murdoc survived the fall, he is at least wounded, I don't think he would go running after anyone just now. But then again, we can never be sure of anything with this man" He cast a glance at the woman in front of him, concerned that she looked so genuinely worried. "Don't worry Nikki, I am sure everything will be fine" he said with a smile he hoped was reassuring. She smiled back and left his office. He sighed. He could never understand the relationship between those two. They were always arguing, never agreed about a thing, and yet, they really cared for each other. "Like siblings" he thought.


	3. Chapter 3

_Chapter three_

Mac was determined to find out what was going on with Nikki. After he came home, he took the car and drove to her place. There was no answer, so he went to the nearby store, in case she had just gone for some shopping. When he returned, she was not back so he decided to try at the Phoenix Foundation. Pete was on the phone so Mac went in and crashed on a chair to wait. "Hey Mac" said Pete when he put down the phone. "Good to see you back to work! Want to be filled in? I got a couple of cases that could interest you"

Mac: "Well, no thanks. I just dropped by to say hello. Seen Nikki 'round here today?"

Pete: "Yeah sure, she couldn't stay home a whole day, she is impossible when it comes to work!"

Mac: "You talked to her?"

Pete: "Yeah, I had a debriefing with her. Why?"

Mac: "Did she... say anything?"

Pete: "What you mean?"

Mac: "Well, you know, we spent some time together this morning, then she got... I don't know, quite strange, and then she left while we were supposed to go fishing?"

Pete: "Fishing?" he laughed. "Oh Mac, of course she left, I don't think Nikki is the kind of person who likes to go fishing you know!"

Mac: "But she looked like she was looking forward to it! I really don't think the fishing was the problem"  
Pete: "Then, perhaps you've been a little bit nasty to her!?"

Mac: "No I didn't! I was actually very nice and helped her with her car, and we had a GOOD time"

Pete: "Well, I don't know Mac, she didn't mention anything and she was perfectly normal to me. Why don't you ask her anyway? She should be in her office. If you would excuse me now, I got work to do!" Mac took his mail on the way to Nikki's office, but there was no one there, he learned from some colleagues that she had been there and left only minutes ago. So he drove back to her place with no luck, she was nowhere to find. Perhaps she had gone to a friend?, or to the beach..., there was no way to know. He would better try again later in the evening. Worried and frustrated, he drove back home. He threw his keys and post on the kitchen counter and crashed on the couch. He passed his hand on his face, trying to figure out where she could be. The evening was falling so he decided he should go to the boat and collect the fishing equipment he had left there.

Lost in his thoughts, he walked to the boat, collected the equipment and lifted it to the pontoon. As he checked one last time that the boat was securely attached, he noticed that someone was standing at the end of the pontoon, facing the sea. "Looks like I am not the only one who has things to sort out" he thought. He took his equipment and carried it to the store room at the back of the house-boat. On his way back to his front door, he stopped suddenly, as the figure at the end of the pontoon was turning away from the sea and walking back toward him. Astonished, he realized it was Nikki! She seemed to notice him at the same time and they hurried toward each other. He was relieved to see her and gave her a bear hug. She found his lips and kissed them. At first he thought it was merely an accident, so he moved slightly away from her. She was observing him, trying to find out what he was thinking, if he was shocked or angry at her, but she could only see surprise and kindness, so she kissed him again tenderly, her hands slowly finding their way to the back of his neck, her fingers stroking his hair.

When they separated, they kept close, forehead against forehead.

Mac: "Nikki, what are you doing here? I looked for you everywhere!"

Nikki, surprised: "You did? Well, I needed to see you, and you weren't home. I thought you were fishing and I was waiting for you"

Mac: "And I was at the office, at your flat, I drove round half the town looking for you!" She smiled. They walked toward the house-boat, her arm round his waist, his lying on her shoulders. He slipped her to open the door and let her in. Then he closed the door and switched the light on in the kitchen. She took his waist again, her arms pressing his back for a new kiss. As tender as their embrace had been on the pontoon, this time she let her hunger and desire slip and he got confused. Her hands drew the bottom of his shirt out of his belt. An electrical wave spread along his spine when he felt her hands on his bare skin. He stalled. Holding her arms and moving away from her, he catch his breath: "Wha... what... what are you doing Nikki?"

She whispered: "I want you Mac"

Mac: "You... You what? Er... Wait a minute... What you mean, you want me?" He could not make any sense out of this.

Nikki, suddenly embarrassed, was holding her breath: "I.. I..." She sighed. "I'm sorry Mac. I didn't mean to offend you. I... Oh my god!" She blushed and could not look at him. But he was still holding her arms and she couldn't go away. He was startled. The whole thing was so unreal! But there she was, ashamed now, he was afraid she would start crying if he didn't find a way to ease the air.

"Hey. Come here." he said, walking her to the couch. He sat beside her, holding her hands, looking concerned but reassuring. "Hey... Look at me. That's OK, no harm done. He paused to give her a chance to say something, but she was keeping her eyes down and would not say a word. "Let's talk about it will you? I... Look. You are a beautiful woman and I care about you. I really do. But this..? I don't get it! We have been colleagues and friends for some time now, but I never knew you had this kind of feelings for me. What... What happened? I dunno what to say!"

Slowly, the shame she had felt when he moved away from her, was being replaced by a warm feeling of respect and tenderness. He was not the kind of man who would lay with any woman just for the fun. He actually cared. Wanted to be sure. She slowly relaxed, smiled and looked at him. There he was, with this wonderful smile and his warm brown eyes looking at her. "Mac I... well.. I don't know what to say. It just came over me when you... er.. well, this morning..?, in your room..?"

Mac: "This morning? What happened this morning? You looked petrified on that landing!"

Nikki: "You can believe I was! I thought I was entering an empty bathroom, and there you were, so handsome and sexy in your towel, and I..! I...!" She blushed again. He smiled wider, feeling the blood coloring his cheeks too:

"Oh... so THAT's what happened up there!" He cast himself back in the sofa in relief, finally able to answer the questions that had puzzled him throughout the afternoon.

"Well er... yes" she said with a charming blush. "I couldn't think of anything but you after that. Couldn't sleep, couldn't work, it was no use! And Pete said Murdoc would probably come after you again one day, I got worried and had to come back" Mac smiled and drew her to his chest, holding her in a hug. They remained silent for a while, enjoying each other's contact.

Nikki: "You know, I think I have been attracted to you all along, and all that snapping and provocation between us was a way of denying it. But these last days, it kind of disappeared and I had nothing left to hide from my feelings for you"

Mac said, slowly: "Yeah. I see what you mean" He looked at her, nestled on his shoulder. She was indeed an attractive woman. Feeling his eyes upon her, she looked up and as their eyes met, he could see down to her soul. Overwhelmed, he felt a delicious wave of warm dizziness spreading under his skin to his entire body. He kissed her softly at first, but she was careful to let him lead the dance. She had made it clear what she wanted, the choice was now his. She was very conscious of the burning contact of his hands. He left her lips and descended softly along her jaw to the base of her neck. It sent small waves of electricity under her skin. One of his hands was finding its way to the upper button of her blouse. He opened it, just this one, and started exploring the bare skin of her neckline. Her free hand was foraging the thick hair of his neck. The other one had been stuck between them so far, but as Mac had moved to face her, she could move it again. She found her way back to the bottom of his shirt and slipped under it, enjoying the contact of the soft skin and the muscles. Again, an exciting wave spread along his spine and he stopped his kissing of her neckline to return to her mouth for a passionate and hungry kiss that left both of them panting. "Let's go upstairs" he said. "I've got protection there" She kissed him softly before leaving the couch. He went to lock the door and switch off the light before taking her hand to climb the stairs in the dark.

The moon was casting a cold light through the bay windows over the stairs, and they stopped on the landing to look at its reflection on the sea. He was standing back her, his arms round her waist. The sea was calm and they enjoyed the magic of the view for a while, until he buried his nose in her hair and reached for her neck to kiss. She turned around to answer his embrace and they exchanged a long tender kiss before he took her hands in his and paced backward to guide her into the bedroom.

"Now Mac", she said playfully, "where is that sexy towel of yours?" Taping a finger on her nose, he answered: "I won't tell you. You nearly fell in the stairs last time you saw it".

"Well, that would give you an excuse to rescue me. How about that?" He turned around to place her at the bottom of the bed before he answered: "I'd rather have you falling on the bed" he said, pushing her shoulders softly so she fell on her back. Then, he came on the top of her. "And now, beautiful lady, I got my excuse to rescue you! How about that?" He tried to kiss her but she was giggling and made him roll onto the bed. He laughed too, then she rolled upon him, holding his wrists over his head. "Mmm.. I love that laughter of yours" she said sensually before she kissed him. The fever of desire took them, and they slowly stripped each other of their clothes while exploring and tasting their naked skins. The ballet of sensations took them on a wave of pleasure as if their bodies had known each other from the dawn of times.

Not willing to give their embrace up yet, they didn't move until their hearts had found back to a regular rhythm. The tenderness of the moment was as good as the passion they just shared, and as desire did not blind their minds anymore they became aware of the details, how their bodies fitted together, the softness of the skin, the intimacy they shared. But after a while, Mac had to get up. "I'll be back" he said, heading to the bathroom. After he had freshened up, he came back, a towel around his waist and a puckish smile on his face: "So, what you say now?" he asked.

"Oh boy", said Nikki, lying in the middle of the bed, "you ARE gorgeous! No wonder I felt so dizzy when I saw you this morning!" He laughed and crawled up to her on the bed: "You naughty girl!" he said before he kissed her on the nose. She rolled him on his back and looking deep into his eyes, she said slowly: "You know, I am hungry"

Mac: "Oh no! You naughty naughty girl!" he cried, his forehead in his hands.

Nikki: "I am serious Mac" she said on the same slow, sensual tone. She planted a kiss on his cheek before getting up, and on her way to the bathroom she added casually: "Didn't eat a thing since we had lunch together!" He relaxed his arms and looked at her, realizing that she actually meant food. He became suddenly conscious of his empty stomach, as he had skipped dinner too. He got up, dressed, and went down to the kitchen. Rapidly, he threw bread slices on the baking tray, covered them with tuna, small pieces of tomato, cheese, and placed them in the oven. Meanwhile, Nikki had freshened up, dressed and joined him in the kitchen, looking at him. "You have many talents Mac. I love seeing a man in a kitchen". He looked at her, smiling over the sink where he was rinsing his knife. "It should be ready soon. Why don't you look back there if you can find some plates and glasses?"

Soon enough, the cheese had melted and they could sit at the table.

Nikki: "Mmm! This is delicious! Would be perfect with a glass of wine! What do you call that?"

Mac: "It's called bruschettas. Kind of Italian toasts. Sorry, I have no wine, but perhaps you would care for some grape juice? It's the closest I have to wine" They enjoyed their meal and realized it was not so late after all. Nikki offered to do the dishes while Mac tided the kitchen. "It's only 9 o'clock" he said. "Do you want to see a movie?"

Nikki: "Well, I've got to work tomorrow and I didn't take any change with me. Perhaps I'd better go home"

Mac came to stand behind her, embraced her waist and kissed her neck. "Really?" he asked. "How early do you have to be at work?"

Nikki: "You know, some of us actually have fixed hours at the office!?"

Mac: "Well, I'm sure. Isn't that typical? It's the problem with you bureaucrats. No fantasy at all" he teased from her neck. Taken aback at the obvious provocation, Nikki turned around to protest, and met the impish look in his eyes. "You...!" she said, shaking him by the shoulders. Very pleased with himself, he imprisoned her in his arms. "Now, Mrs Carpenter. You are my prisoner. You can't leave before the morning. See? There's nothing you can do"

Nikki: "How do you think to hold me here Mister? Are you going to duct-tape me on the bed?"

Mac: "Wow... I take back what I just said. You HAVE some fantasy after all! What a weird idea! It could sure be interesting to try it!"he said, diving into her neck to kiss her again. It became very passionate, inviting for more, until Nikki moved slightly away from him. "Never thought that your glass door was not offering much privacy? Anyone passing by would get quite a view!"  
"Er... right..." he said, cooling down. "Never thought about it... Usually I only do kitchen stuff in my kitchen... Want some dessert?"

Nikki: "I think we just had, haven't we...?" she said. He smiled. "Nikki, you are beautiful" he said. "Beautiful, and delicious" he added impishly. She smiled at him before asking "So, what about that movie you so dearly wanted me to stay for?"

Mac: "Have a look over there and choose something. I'll fix some popcorn" Nikki had not reached the shelf that there was a knock at the door, and Pete entered.

Pete: "Er... hey there! Oh, hey Nikki, didn't know you were here! Er... Mac, I drove to the cabin after work to meet my insurance agent, and I took your jeep back on a trailer. Would you mind come and give me a hand with it?"

Mac: "Er... yeah. Yeah of course!" He cast a glance at Nikki before he followed Pete outside. "So er... you.. just arrive from Ridgemount?"

Pete: "Yeah! Yeah, just coming back this instant. The guy from the insurance company wanted to see the cabin by himself. There was not much left to show him, though. It's burnt down to the ground. The only thing left is the pontoon"

Mac. "I'm sorry Pete. Murdoc knows what he does when he plays with matches. What will you do?"

Pete: "Ha... There is not much I can do. Get the place cleaned up, and either sell the ground or build a new cabin. I dunno yet. Here, you know how to lower that thing on the trailer?"

Mac: "Yeah. Let me handle that" When the jeep was safely down from the trailer and parked, Mac said: "Thanks for taking it back, you spared me the trip up there. Want to come in? We were going to see a movie"

Pete: "Er... no no no, thanks, er.. I had a long day and I have to deliver the trailer back before I go home. Enjoy yourself, will you? I'll see you in the morning. Bye!"

Mac: "Bye Pete... And thanks again" He saw his friend driving away before he walked back home.

Nikki was in the kitchen, filling a bowl with pop corn. She sent a worried look at Mac: "You think he arrived when he said he arrived?"

Mac: "I... don't know Nikki..."

Nikki: "You think he saw... ?"

Mac: "There is no way to know, that glass door is definitely no good for privacy! But if he did, you can be sure he won't say a word to anyone"

Nikki: "I know. But I certainly hope he didn't"

Mac: "Yeah. I hope so too, but whatever is done is done, there is nothing we could do about that. Let's see this movie. What did you choose?"

Nikki: "You are very practical. Good point for you! I found an Indiana Jones I haven't seen"

Mac: "Really? You like that stuff?"

Nikki: "Well, yes! Is that so surprising?"

Mac: "Oh, I though you were more into... sophisticate stuff. You know..."

Nikki: "I do. But I also like action. And Harrison Ford is just my type" she added to tease him.

"Ah!" he said before feeding the tape to the player and reaching for the remote control. They made themselves comfortable on the couch, enjoying the movie and each other's company. But toward the end of the movie, as he often did when sitting passive in front of a screen, Mac felt dozy and his head leant heavier against Nikki's. "Hey Sleepy-head!" she said. "Is it bed-time?"

"Mmm.. no, I'll be fine" he mumbled. "You really have to see the end, it's good! I've seen it 3 times so.. no much suspense left for me... "

Nikki: "Well in that case, why don't you go up? Then I won't have to wait for the bathroom"

Mac: "Good point. Clever girl!" He dragged himself up from the couch. "See you soon" he said kissing her lightly. She saw him staggering to the stairs and returned her attention to the movie. At the end of it, she removed the tape from the player, locked the door securely and switched all the lights off before heading upstairs. Although Mac was dozy when he got up, he had left a new toothbrush for her on the washbasin. She helped herself with a towel, thinking that she would have to go home in the morning as she did not even take her compact with her. In the bedroom, she could hear Mac's regular breathing. She dressed down and tried not to wake him as she entered the bed.

"Hey" he whispered with a sleepy voice. "Come here" he said, opening the quilt for her to join him. She cuddled against him and he wrapped his arm around her. She gave him a soft kiss and sighed. "Good night" she said.

"Night" he mumbled before falling back to sleep. She enjoyed feeling the weight of his arm, the warmth of his body in her back, the soft swaying of the house-boat. Soon, she was deep asleep too.

_  
Hope you enjoyed


	4. Chapter 4

_Chapter four_

When he woke up, he was alone and it took some time before he remembered he had company during the night. He had slept well and late, without nightmare. He had not felt so well-rested since Mike had died. Mike... It was strange, lying there in a warm bed, while she... And then, there was Nikki. Nikki was alive, and it was good to be with her. He felt guilty though, being with her while he couldn't give Mike what she had asked from him. She was his best friend but in the way Jack was. She had wanted more. Love. Commitment. He never could stand the feeling, at that stage he always run away. She knew it, and she knew why. Would Nikki expect commitment too? So complicated everything was! He decided it was too nice a day to lay there and speculate. He jumped out of bed. First he would fix the jeep, then he would drive to the Challenger club. He had not been there for a while, he wondered how the kids and Cynthia were doing. He could certainly make himself useful too.

Meanwhile, Nikki was at work. She was quite satisfied with herself, managing to wake up on time without an alarm-clock, to slip out of Mac's arms without waking him up and arriving home at the time she would have woke up if she had slept there. She was in her office at her usual time and not a soul (except perhaps Pete) could tell where she had spent the last 12 hours. Had he, or had he not seen them in the kitchen? Well, they were both adults, and single for that matter, they did nothing wrong... Still.. it was.. private, and she did not wish to share that with Pete. Poor Pete anyway! He had a hell of a job trying to understand the relationship between them! Like cat and dog on the surface, but caring and helping each other as soon as one of them was in trouble. And now, lovers! She was not sure to understand it herself either! "I wonder if he is awake now?" she thought, looking at the time. "So unstructured, this way of working on assignments! He never knows in advance what the day will bring! I am glad my schedule is more predictable. But I suppose it fits Mac to work that way. I sure hope Pete will not send him on a mission too soon. That's the problem with Mac. He always gets the most dangerous missions that no one else could deal with. I was worried enough when we were like cat and dog. Now that we have come closer together, not only will I miss him, but I'll be scared to death..."

They met each evening that week and had a wonderful time together. Now the week end was coming and they had planed to spend it away, so their privacy would not be disturbed by friends dropping by or curious neighbors. They had decided to drive to the Santa Monica mountains, where they could enjoy both the beach and the mountains. Nikki was to pick Mac at his place after work. He had packed his backpack and a picnic basket for dinner, as they would arrive late and probably not feel for going out looking for a restaurant then. He also fixed a light snacks for the drive, maps of the area and reservations at the motel. Then he decided to kill the time with chores. But then, the house boat was shinning and she had not showed up yet. He picked up a book and crashed on the couch. Night was falling and he got worried that it would be too late to drive the same evening, so he phoned her at the office. No answer. No answer home either. Well, perhaps she was on her way, he thought. So he tried the phone in her car. No answer either. Could she be shopping some place? He tried all the three numbers again 15 minutes later, and as he could not join her, he began to worry. He phoned the gate-post of the Phoenix Foundation, where the guard told him Nikki had left at least 2 hours ago. Something was wrong.

He jumped in the jeep and drove to her flat. There was no sign that she had been there in the afternoon. Her backpack was ready in the entrance, waiting for her to pick it up. He was on his way back to the jeep when he noticed her car parked a little further on the street. It was not locked, the door had just fallen back but had not been properly closed and the belt hang outside. Searching inside and outside the car, Mac discovered one of her shoes. She would not have left her car with only one shoe. An awful certitude was growing in his mind: she had been abducted! He run to the jeep and feverishly dialed Pete's number. Luckily he was still at his office.

Mac: "Pete! Nikki is missing. What was she working on?! Who would want to hurt her?"

Pete: "What? Mac, calm down, tell me what happened?" Mac explained the situation and his conclusion that she had been abducted. Pete had to agree. While Mac was driving to the Foundation, Pete searched the files Nikki had been working on to try and find some clue. When Mac arrived at Pete's office, his friend had a pretty good idea of what could have happened.

Pete: "She was working on a case quite similar to the GX-1, you know, this plane that could not be detected by usual radars?"

Mac: "Yeah, the one I blew up in East Germany last year, right?"

Pete: "Yes, that one. The engineers have been working on that project again and built a new plane, with some modifications. The Russians did not like that you destroyed GX-1 and they sent some agents to try and steal the plans for the GX-2 from us. We know the agents and have them watched, but we haven't found their contact yet. They MUST have an inside contact, and that is one of the things Nikki was working on. Now there is a fair chance that these guys want to learn what she knows about GX-2 and about them."

Mac: "You think they would kill her?"

Pete: "No, if they wanted to kill her, they could have done so already. If they abducted her, it is because they want something from her."

Mac: "OK, then, where would they have taken her?"

Pete: "I can think of two possibilities: the house where the Russians are hiding, but we have it watched so I don't think they could use it without us knowing. So, there is the harbor. They own a boat factory as one of their cover activities. I say we check the harbor first. Here is the address."

Mac was on his way already: "Meet me there with the police!"

He drove as fast as he could, so worried about what could have happened to Nikki. When he arrived, the warehouse was dark and deserted. He parked at some distance and made his way as stealthily as possible. He found a door that was not locked and slipped smoothly inside. Waiting for his eyes to accommodate to the dark, he listened carefully. A faint scraping noise on his right put his senses on alert but a strong blow at the back of his head ended his inquiries. All went dark and he collapsed on the floor.

* * *

When he woke up, he was garroted at the back of a chopper. His head hurt badly and trying to lift it up made him moan.

"Mac!" said a familiar voice behind him through the noise of the chopper. "Are you alright?!" Slowly he turned around and found Nikki sitting there, garroted as well.

"Nikki!" he said in relief. "What happened?". Fighting his dizziness, he tried to sit up next to her. But the chopper was landing and they could not talk further. Their captors opened the chopper's slide door and made them climb down. They had landed in a forest clearing and they had no idea of where they were. A blond man with a hard face verified their ropes.

"If one of you tries to escape, the other one will be shot on the spot. Now, walk." he said, pushing them toward a small path. His accomplice opened the way with a torchlight, and the blond man was walking behind them. Mac and Nikki could not see where they walked, and they often stumbled in stones and branches lying on the path. Nikki rapidly hurt her feet, as her shoes were not fitted for hiking, and one of them was missing. "How far are you taking us?" she asked after cutting her foot on a sharp stone. The men did not answer but pushed her so she would not slow them down. She was limping quite badly and Mac could not contend himself any more: "She is hurt! Let me help her!"

"Ah, Mr MacGyver, you are such a gentleman, so predictable!" laughed the blond man. "We just had to wait for you at the warehouse, as we were certain you would run to save your friend. Now, you can not hold yourself because she's got a little scratch. Very well, this weakness of yours will be most useful when the time comes. And as you wish to help your friend, you will carry her for the rest of our little trip."

Nikki protested: "I just need to lean on him, I can walk, there is no need to carry me!"

The blond man took out his gun: "He will carry you, Mrs Carpenter." Nikki and Mac exchanged concerned looks, they could only pray for the "little trip" to be short. Nikki put her tided hands around Mac's neck. Then he took her in his arms. At first, it went fine. But as time went, Mac's arms began to weaken, and the rope around Nikki's wrists was cutting his flesh. Nikki tried to help him but there was not much she could do. She could see he was tired, tensing all his muscles to hold her. He stumbled and they fell hard on the ground. The first guy helped them up and checked their ropes. "We are soon there" he said.

Nikki felt so bad, seeing Mac's sweaty face contracted by the effort. "I'm sorry Mac, I'm so sorry!" she said, feeling she could cry in despair. He smiled at her and said between his teeth: "Don't worry, we will manage. Who are these guys anyway? The guys from the GX-1 mission?"

Nikki: "Pete told you about that? Well, yes, the blond one, Ivan Petrov, was in charge of finding the GX-1 when you blew it up. The other one is an American, Derek Johnson. He is one of their agents, covering for their activity here. There should be an other man, Sergei Gregor, but I have seen only these two so far."

Mac was exhausted, his body aching and shaking from the effort he had to make at each step. He stumbled more and more often and they both had scars and bruises from the hard falls. His ropes were hurting badly and he could not feel his hands anymore. At last they arrived to a dark cabin. The door opened and the light from inside hurt their eyes. They had not seen it from a distance as the windows had been blinded with thick curtains. A man with a riffle stopped them, then recognizing his accomplices, he waved them inside. In a last effort, Mac climbed the short stairs to the door and entered the cabin. He collapsed on his knees as soon as Nikki was safely on her feet.

Petrov: "Gregor., here is Mrs Nicole Carpenter, she has been investigating on our activities and will provide us with information on the GX-2. And here is Mr MacGyver. He is the one who blew the GX-1 up, and he kindly joined our little party tonight. Mr MacGyver and Mrs Carpenter are very close friends, and I'm sure Mrs Carpenter will tell us exactly what we want to know."

Gregor, looking down at MacGyver: "You sure have done a nice job with him, Petrov. Mrs Carpenter, you are a beautiful woman..." he said, stroking her cheek.

"Leave her alone!" Mac roared, jumping on Gregor. Johnson stroke his ribs with the rifle. Mac fell on the floor, moaning, and Gregor laughed at him. "Take him away" he said to his men. They took him by the arms and dragged him to the next room

"Don't you touch her!" grumbled Mac between his teeth. Gregor and Nikki followed them in the other room, which was larger than the little kitchen they had first come in. Still, there was only a table and a chair in this room, where Gregor tied Nikki up. Meanwhile, Johnson was emptying her attache-case on the table, examining her papers. Gregor was pacing back and forth in the room, then, without warning, he kicked Mac's side. Mac groaned in pain and Nikki shrieked in horror, wondering what these men had planed for them.

Gregor: "Now Mrs Carpenter, you will tell me what you know about my organization in your country, and you will also tell me everything about the GX-2, or your friend here will have a very bad time." Nikki could not say a word. She had been trained to resist torture, but she did not know if she could stand to see Mac in pain. These men knew that of course, and it was the reason why they had set a trap for him at the warehouse.

"Don't say anything Nikki" moaned Mac, trying to get up to show he was OK. A new kick in the ribs sent him back whimpering on the floor.

"Don't try to be a hero Mr MacGyver" said Petrov. "We know how to make you cry out for mercy. I don't think the lady here would want that, would you dear?" he said, stroking her hair. In anger, Mac found enough energy to crawl up and try to attack him, but Gregor was expecting his reaction and kicked him again. Mac screamed and collapsed on the floor. Tear drops were rolling on Nikki's cheek but she could not say a word. If the Russians were to steal the plans for the GX-2, international security would be compromised. No matter how badly she wanted to stop Mac's misery, she could not make herself to betray her country. Hours passed and nothing came out from questioning Nikki. At dawn Gregor was very irritated and he decided to change his tactic. He took a stick. "I will beat him until you beg for his life" he said. As the stick was falling on each part of his body, Mac screamed and tried to protect himself, but the stick would always find a way to hurt him. Nikki was crying and tried to free herself from the chair. At that point, Mac fainted and stopped screaming. It was even worse to see Gregor beating his unconscious body. "Stop it! Stop it!" she shouted. Panting and sweating, Gregor threw the stick away and grab Nikki's hair. "I knew you would be reasonable. Now, tell me what you know." Nikki, tears in the eyes, stared straight back at him "I can't". Gregor exploded in fury and slapped her in the face. "You will talk! You WILL talk!"

Turning to his men "Wake him up, I have an idea"


	5. Chapter 5

_Chapter five_

Johnson went to the kitchen to fetch a bucket which he emptied on the form curled on the floor. Shocked at the cold water, Mac jumped and tried to sit back up. "Go and get the water containers outside, Petrov" Gregor ordered. The blond man came back with two heavy 10-gallons containers. Gregor tied them together, cast the other end of the rope over two beams from the roof and dragged the containers up in the air. "Get MacGyver under those containers" he said to Petrov. Mac's body was hurting and it was painful for him to stand. He was also exhausted from the walk in the forest, the beating through the night and he shivered from being soaked wet. He could hardly stand upraised. Petrov placed him under the containers and Johnson lowered them so that he could reach them. "Hold those containers up" he said to MacGyver "or the lady here will be in trouble" Mac looked up and saw with horror that Gregor had tied the rope around Nikki's neck into a slipknot. When he would be too tired to stand under the weight of the containers, she would hang...

Gregor: "Now Mrs Carpenter, you don't have much time. Mr MacGyver will not last long. I give him 10 minutes, 15 perhaps, before he collapses. That gives you a last possibility to change your mind and tell me what I want to know. Just call for me when you have made up your mind. Or die."

The three men went to the kitchen to sit and enjoy some coffee. Mac and Nikki were alone for the first time since they had been captured. Nikki was horrified to see the torture Mac was into. He was fighting to keep standing under the containers. She knew very well how he would feel if she died because his body failed him. It had already taken so much that it was a miracle he could stand and support this weight without passing out. "Nikki!" he said. "Nikki please. Try to free your hands. I can not hold very long, I don't feel my arms anymore. You HAVE to free yourself and run for help! Please!" She felt her throat tighten when she saw tears on his cheeks. "I am trying Mac, I promise! It's not working!" she said in panic.

Mac: "Nikki, calm down. You have to find a way to put something into the knot so it would loosen. Your finger if you can, or perhaps the pin from your belt buckle. Hurry!" Feverishly, she turned her belt around her waist and tried to loosen her ropes. She picked and picked, until she felt she had found a place where she could use the pin as a lever. At last she felt the knot loosen and she hurried to get her hands and throat free. Then she run to help Mac lower the containers silently down to the floor. Out of exhaustion, he fell on his knees.

Nikki: "Get up Mac! We have to get out of here!"

Mac: "I can't. Go and get help."

Nikki: "No! No Mac, you have to come! They will kill you!" she whispered in panic. Mac stumbled up and followed her to the window. She helped him to climb out but he was to heavy for her and he crashed on the ground. She joined him and they tried to run under cover. However, after a short time, Mac's strength was used up. He fell and could not get back on his feet. "You HAVE to, Mac! You HAVE to!" begged Nikki.

Mac: "Let me sleep. I am so tired. I just want to sleep. OK?"

Nikki: "No Mac no! You can't sleep now! They will come and kill you!" she cried in despair. Meanwhile, she was looking around to see if the men were after them. Then she saw a large stone emerging from bushes a little further to the right. She hauled Mac up by his shirt and made him lean on her, forcing him to walk to the stone. She made him crawl under the bushes and covered him with leaves. "There. Don't move now. I can hear them coming!" She tried to cover herself with some more leaves and lay against Mac, holding her breath to try and hear if the men were coming their way. Mac was shivering but he soon fell asleep, or passed out, and his body relaxed. Nikki heard the men running on the path but she couldn't see them. There was at least two of them, perhaps three.

"They can't have gone far! MacGyver could hardly stand, they have to be around here somewhere!" she heard Johnson say.

"OK" Petrov answered. "I'll search around the cabin with Gregor, you go along the path see if you find some tracks."

Now she could safely come out of the bushes, but she had no idea of where they were, and did not know where to go for help. Her best chance was to go and see if she could find a radio in the cabin but the Russians were there, she would be spotted at once. She was sure Mac would have walked to the end of the forest, but she had a wounded foot and knew she would not make it. Besides, she did not want to leave him behind, so close to the cabin where their captors could find him. She heard a chopper flying over the forest at some distance, and wondered if it was the same that had flied them here, or if it could be Pete looking for them. She dearly hoped it was him! If it was, she should give him a sign so that he would find them. What could she do? She had nothing to signal with. It felt hopeless... What would Mac do? She tried to remember the different tricks he had used in similar situations. Oh! She wished she would have red his reports more carefully back then. She had been so irritated at his boy scout's methods sometimes, she had not paid much attention to his tricks as she did not find these professional at all. Now she wished she had a list of all the situations he had been in with the corresponding tricks that had saved his live... Then she remembered some of them. "I can not make a fire, nor send any kind of projectile in the air without the Russians noticing, so this is not an option" she thought. "Well, what do I have? Trees. Wood. Leaves. Bushes. Stones. Moss. What can I use that for?! Oh Mac! I need your help!" The chopper was flying toward them, she could hear it clearly now. "Well. Trees, that would have to do it" she thought. She crawled carefully out of the bushes and checked the surroundings. Then she hurried carefully away from Mac and the cabin, looking for a big tree she could climb. The chopper was coming closer, she had to hurry! At last she found a big pine with branches low enough for her to start climbing. She was so afraid that the chopper would fly away without seeing her that she climbed to the top at record speed. From the top of the tree she removed her jacket and waved it, hoping dearly that the chopper was a rescue team and that Pete would see her.

She was overwhelmed with joy when she spotted the silhouette of the dear man at the back of the chopper. She waved her jacket frantically and nearly fell from the tree. At last he saw her and made sign to her that they would try to find a place to land. From her tree top, she could not see any clearing in proximity. Their captors had used a clearing at quite a distance from the cabin, she doubted that Pete and his team could find a place any closer. But at least, they knew where they were and they would come to rescue them. She climbed carefully down and went back on her tracks to join Mac. However, she was worried, knowing the men were searching the wood and would have noticed the chopper. She sneaked to the edge of the forest to spy on the cabin. It was calm and silent, as if the men had deserted the place. She stayed hidden for a moment, and decided it was time to go and see after Mac. But as she turned over, she found herself face to face with Gregor!

"Ah my beautiful lady! How we meet again!" he said with a large smile. "And where is our Mr MacGyver?" Nikki closed her eyes in frustration. The arrogant Russian pushed her toward the cabin and forced her inside. Petrov was searching the other side of the cabin, and joined them when he saw Gregor's capture.

"Where is the man?" he asked.

Gregor: "We will soon know that" he said in a menacing tone. "Has Johnson come back yet?"

Petrov: "No. He took the path, and with that chopper flying around I guess he went down to the clearing to welcome them if they were to try and land there"

Gregor: "Good. Now Mrs Carpenter, my patience has reached its end. You will tell me what I want to know at once. Where is your friend? And what do you know about the GX-2?" He grabbed her hair and forced her to look at him. She spitted in his face. He slapped her, grabbed her again and smiled coldly.

"Petrov. Go and stand guard outside" he said, keeping his eyes on Nikki. "You are proud and stubborn, but you will talk. I will break you" He slapped her again, and again, then he tore her blouse open. She screamed in fear. He cast himself upon her, trying to tear her clothes off. She fought back, trying not to panic, and to remember what she had learned in self-defense. But he was strong and heavy, and he slapped her hard. She could not get rid of him! She screamed as the panic was rising, but suddenly she saw Mac knocking her aggressor out and casting himself upon him. He was in a blind rage, beating the man again and again.

"Mac! Stop it! You will kill him! Stop!" she cried. He stopped and looked at the motionless man under him. He could not believe he had done that, he would have killed that man, hadn't Nikki stopped him. His rage vanished. Slowly, he looked at her. At the sight of her torn up clothes, he felt his anger roaring deep inside.

"Are you OK?" he asked, trying to calm down. She fell in his arms. "Oh Mac, you came just in time. I'm OK. Did you see Petrov?"

"Yeah, he should be out for some time. Have you seen a radio here? We have to call for help"

Nikki: "Pete is on his way. He was looking for us from a chopper and he saw me. They can't land here so I suppose they will have to come the way we came. If we manage to bind the Russians, we should be able to sit and wait for the cavalry to arrive"

Mac: "Sounds good" he said, sitting painfully on the floor. He stretched his hand after the rope which was still lying in the room after them, and garroted Gregor's hands and feet together. "Help me take him outside with Petrov, will you?" They disposed both Russians on the grass in front of the cabin, and Mac sat on the stairs, holding his ribs with a grimace. He felt he had used up the little energy he had regained from resting under the bushes. Nikki went in and found some coffee.

Nikki: "I know you don't usually drink coffee, but this is at least warm" He took the cup and hold it against his chest, enjoying the heat from it. Nikki sat against him and kissed him tenderly. Then, she moved around so that her back would rest against the cabin's wall, and she made Mac lean against her. He smiled at her, sighed and fell asleep shortly after.

She could hear the chopper long before she saw it. It had been gone for quite a long time, and she could hear it coming toward the cabin. There was no place to land, but the rescue team threw line ladders out and climbed down to them. With a winch, they hoisted Nikki, Mac and the Russians on board. Johnson had attacked them at the clearing when they had tried to land after spotting Nikki, and they had taken him to the police as they had to fill gas before returning to the cabin. The two Russians joined him soon enough in jail while Mac and Nikki had to undergo a medical examination to estimate and tend their wounds. Mac had two broken ribs and a bruised kidney from the kicking and beating, but the doctors did not worry too much about that. They were far more concerned about the physical exhaustion he showed, and wanted to keep him under observation until the day after. Nikki's foot had been tended and she could walk quite normally. She sat beside Mac's bed and watched him sleep. His body was covered with bruises and cuts, but he was sleeping peacefully. She could feel her love for him glowing inside her chest, and now she sobbed, expressing at last the fear she had had of seeing him die. The nurse came in and tried to comfort her before checking on Mac. Then she told Nikki she could not stay, but could go and wait in the waiting area if she wished. Pete had filled all the forms for Mac, given some phone calls to the office, and now he offered Nikki to drive her home. She wished she could have spent the night here, as she had no wish to leave Mac nor to find herself alone at home. But she was a reasonable woman and followed Pete to his car. When she arrived home, she found her backpack still standing in the entrance and felt her heart sink, thinking how the wonderful week-end they had planned had turned out to be a nightmare. They had survived, this time again, but she did not like the way her relation with Mac had been discovered and used against them. In the kind of work they did, a love affair was a weapon in their enemies hands.

* * *

Some days later, they were debriefing in Pete's office. Mac remained mainly silent while Nikki was reporting to Pete. Pete had told them how he had found Mac's jeep at the factory and at last found clues leading to the cabin. He informed them that the Russian's network had been dismantled. Then he dismissed them and sent them to write their reports. He followed them to the door but hold Mac again after Nikki had gone.

Pete: "What is it Mac? You didn't say a word, are you OK?"

Mac: "No, I am not OK Pete. I nearly killed that man, Gregor, up there. I.. I missed control completely and can't get myself to come over it."

Pete: "Well, he had tortured you for hours, I suppose it.."

"No, it's not that Pete!" yelled Mac. "I wanted to kill him because he..." He could not make himself to speak it up. He sighed and sat down, holding his head. Pete clapped his shoulder, waiting for him to be ready. "Pete" started Mac again. "Nikki and I, we... we have come much closer lately... When I saw that guy put his hands on her I... I got mad you know? I was protecting my mate! I could have killed him. I wanted to. I discovered a part of me I didn't know I had. It scared me"

Pete clapped his shoulder again. "You know Mac. Every man and woman has some caveman remnant deep inside, and it shows up when our deepest emotions are at stake. Fear, anger, love. Mothers defend their youngsters, males defend their females, it is in the order of Nature."

Mac: "And then I should accept it? Being no more than a wild beast?"

Pete: "You wanted to kill him, but you didn't"

Mac: "Because Nikki stopped me!"

Pete: "And you listened to her. Her appeal touched your humanity and you reacted to that. It was stronger than your anger, wasn't it?"

Mac, reluctant: "Yeah, I suppose"

Pete clapped him again, and they smiled to each other. Then,

Pete sighed and said: "So... You and Nikki together uh? God knows if I ever will understand what's going on between you two!"

They laughed.


	6. Chapter 6

_Chapter six_

Melissa was sitting on the sidewalk in front of the hardware store. From there, she could look down the street and have a glimpse of the sea. She sat there a lot, waiting for her mother to come home and make the dinner. Her mother was working hard to make a living, so Melissa was much on her own. She was a reasonable kid to be 8 year-old, still, time went slow after all her friends had gone home to their families. She could always go to Mrs Austin, a woman living a little higher in the street. She had offered to take care of her many times. Her mother had encouraged her to go, but Melissa did not like the lady. She was a little bit strange and far too fussy for Melissa's taste. Her mother had told her that Mrs Austin had lost her boy some years ago, the 4 year-old kid had drowned in the harbor. Mrs Austin never really came over it, and Ma had explained that Mrs Austin missed her little boy and wanted to take care of every child as if it were her own. Melissa could understand and felt truly sorry for Mrs Austin, but still, she did not like the fuss. She preferred to stay out in the street, looking at the sea down the road and wait for Ma. She dreamed of ships sailing from there to exciting places, and imagined the lives of the people on the over side of the ocean. She liked to read too, which fed her imagination. She could never be bored when she looked at the sea! Mr Huntman, the owner of the hardware store, sometimes joined her and stood for a while, looking at the sea with her. Then, he used to sigh and say: "So Melissa. Where is the ship sailing today?" Melissa would smile and tell him what she had dreamed about.

Melissa: "Today it went up the West coast to Alaska. There are big forests on the mountains, it is grand and silent. Sometimes, a whale blows far away, but that's all" Mr Huntman smiled and patted her head: "You are a good kid Melissa. Your Ma will be here any minute now, it's time to close the store" He grabbed one of the wooden crates that had been standing in front of the shop and took it inside for the night. He was taking the last one in when a jeep stopped and a man with bushy hair rushed out of it, a worry look on his face: "Hey Huntman! Am I too late? You closed?"

Huntman: "Hi MacGyver! No, come in, I could not refuse one of my best clients, even if you were half an hour too late!" They smiled, clapped each other on the shoulder and went in. Melissa remained at her post, observing the men inside. She had seen that customer before, he was a regular. There were so many strange things in the store, she wondered what he would buy. But she did not want to go in and be curious. Then, a bus stopped in front of their block and Ma came out. Melissa ran to her and they went home. MacGyver had just ruined the blade of his Swiss army knife and had rushed to buy a new one. Along with it, he had also bought two rolls of duct tape and a new radio antenna for his jeep, as he had used the former one to stop Murdoc at Pete's cabin. His pockets full again, he felt the world was his, nothing could stop him!

* * *

The doctor had said it would take some weeks before Mac's ribs and kidney healed. Unfortunately, it meant that he had to be careful with what he was doing, and he could not be as active as he used to. Violent sports were of course out of the question, and that was bad enough, but also more sensual games had to wait for his ribs to be less tender. The whole thing was getting very frustrating! Noticing that his mood was suffering the from inaction, Pete had given him the charge of establishing a preliminary study on heavy metals. He was to collect samples at different stations, which would imply much driving but no difficult hiking and no danger. Coming back to the Foundation after a 2-days trip to Northern California, he delivered the samples to the lab, and went up to Pete's office. Tired, he collapsed on the sofa: "Oh man! I think I'll take the bus next time, I nearly fell asleep on the way back!" he said rubbing his eyes.

Pete: "Yeah, why not? You could rent a car at destination to get your samples, I see no problems with that"

Mac: "Good idea. These locations can be quite far from town. How are things around here? Anything new?"

Pete: "Well, you know, same old stuff, always happening something but nothing uncommon really"

Mac extracted himself from the sofa: "Aow.." he moaned as his belly muscles stretched on his ribs.

Pete: "Still tender uh..?"

Mac: "Don't tell me! I can't do a thing without feeling those damned ribs! I never knew I had so much use for them..."

Pete: "How long time did the doc say it would take?"

Mac: "Three to six weeks! No hockey, no running, no... er.. well, nothing! I hate it"

Pete: "Don't know what to do with your energy uh? Hey, it's been nearly three weeks already, the worst is over, just be a little more patient" he said with an encouraging smile. Mac did not find much comfort in the idea, but he knew his friend meant well and tried to show a happier face. "Yeah, thanks for trying Pete. I don't have much of a choice anyway. Good you had that heavy-metals case for me, so I won't turn completely nuts staying home" he said on his way out. Pete chuckled and turned his attention back to work. Meanwhile, Mac went to Nikki's office, knocked and went in.

Nikki: "Just a minute please..." she said, her eyes glued on the computer. Mac tiptoed to the back of her chair and kissed her in the neck. "Mac!" she cried. "So good to see you! When did you arrive?" Smiling, he sat on the desk: "Just now. Delivered the samples and said hello to Pete"

Nikki, teasing: "So you go to say hello to Pete before you come and see me?"

Mac: "Keeping the best for the end my dear" he smiled. "You have much left to do?"

Nikki: "Not much. If you let me finish this paragraph, I'll be done for the day" Mac nodded and went to sit in one of the seats under the window. He observed her, how her eyebrows moved when she was thinking, the golden spots that showed in the brown of her eyes, her delicately chiseled nose, the determined line of her jaw leading to the curve of her neck. Her chest lifting with her breath, the curve of her waist, the... "Maaac?!" she interrupted. He jumped and looked at her face again: "Er... what?"

Nikki: "What were you thinking about? I called your name three times!"

He smiled: "Are you finished yet?"

Nikki: "Well, no, my keyboard won't work properly, I heard a little cracking sound and the e-key stopped working. Writing this could take ages! I will have to take it to the technical department but they have gone home for the day now and I'll have to finish typing at home tonight. Or perhaps you want to have a look? You think you could fix it? It's the "e" key and sometimes the "a" one that don't work as they should"

Mac: "Let me have a look, it sound like the springs" He fetched his brand new Swiss army knife and opened the keyboard. "See, this one is broken, and this one is soon out too. Can you give me that ball-pen?" He removed the spring from the pen, cut it in short ones and fixed them under the defect keys. "There, it should hold for tonight, then the technical department can replace them with original keys for tomorrow"

She gave him a kiss "Thank you, you are a sweetheart! Give me five minutes and I'll be ready"

With his boyish look, he just said: "Yes m'am!"

At last Nikki turned the computer off. Mac took the keyboard and delivered it at the technical department while Nikki was packing. They met again on the parking lot: "Oh, it will be good to take a shower! The roads up there were so dusty, I feel like I'm mummified!" he said.

Nikki: "It's your Indiana Jones look, I like it"

Mac: "Right, then I'm glad it was only the dust, and I skipped the giant spiders!"

Nikki: "Was it your last trip?"

Mac: "I still have one place, far North-East, I want to take the bus this time so I won't have to drive that long way. I'll leave tomorrow morning and I'll need two or three days there, then I'm done"

Nikki: "Three days... You know, I never thought I would miss you so much. The afternoon is quite OK, I work late or I manage to find something to do, but evenings... It is so empty, so lonely..."

Mac: "Yeah, I know what you mean" he said, taking her in his arms for a hug. "Aow!" he moaned when she pressed too hard on his ribs.

Nikki: "Oh sorry! I forgot"

Mac: "Don't worry. Come here" he said, kissing her. They heard the elevator stopping, and separated rapidly. They did not want colleagues to know too much about the new nature of their relationship. Mac sat carefully in the jeep.

Nikki: "We can go to your place, you'll want some fresh clothes before you leave again tomorrow. Go and take your shower, I'll pick some Chinese food on the way and I join you. Do we need anything for breakfast?"

Mac: "No I think it's OK, I was gone only for two days you know"

Nikki: "Yes, but these were especially loooong days, remember!?" They smiled, then Mac started the jeep and drove away. The elevator opened on Bannister who was now coming toward Nikki, as his car was parked beside hers.

Bannister: "Hi Nikki, was it good ol' MacGyver driving away? How is he?"

Nikki: "Oh, hi Craig. MacGyver looks fine, but he got some broken ribs after those Russians tortured him and it looks like he is still hurting"

Bannister: "Yeah, bad injury to get, it always takes so long time to heal... I broke four when I was younger, playing rugby you know"

Nikki: "I didn't know you played rugby?"

Bannister: "Well, that was in my young days. Now I am more careful with my health, hehe! Listen, you have any plan for tonight? Perhaps we could have dinner together?"

Nikki: "Oh, that's nice of you Craig, but I have already promised a friend of mine. Sorry"

Bannister: "Bad luck... Another time perhaps. Enjoy your evening Nikki!" he said sitting in his car.

Nikki: "Thanks, the same to you"

She went to her car, thinking of Bannister who had shown a little too much interest for her in the last few months. After he discovered his wife had been a Russian agent who had brainwashed and used him, he had had a tough time and she had supported him but he had obviously turned the page now, starting a new chapter of his life, and he was looking for more than friendship. She did not want to be rude by turning him down too clearly, but she had consequently refused to have dinner with him and he did not get the hint. She was afraid she would have to be more direct next time...

* * *

On her way home from school, Melissa stopped at Mr Li's shop, and taking from her pocket the list Ma had given her in the morning, she went around, finding the items she needed. Conscientiously, she counted the money to pay Mr Li, and she took the groceries home. On the kitchen table, Ma had written a note with her chores for the day. She had already done her bed and bought the groceries, and after her homework she had to take the laundry from the clothes horse before she could go out and play with her friends. It was a rainy day and she was afraid most of them would stay home, but she did not feel like staying alone in the flat so she went out anyway and sat under the entrance porch. She had not been there for ten minutes that Mrs Austin came, an umbrella over her head: "Come child, you can not stay out in such a weather, I'll make you a good cup of cocoa. Wouldn't you like that?" she said with her best smile. Melissa did not really want to go to Mrs Austin, but she also knew none of her friends would come out now, so she could as well please the lady and have a cocoa at her place.

* * *

It was very silent in the house boat, and Nikki figured that Mac was still upstairs. She put the take-away on the bench and was on her way up when she spotted Mac on the couch, his hair still wet from the shower, drying in any direction the cushion would give it. Nikki tiptoed to his side and kneeling down, she studied his face and breath carefully to see if he was or was not asleep. After careful observation, she decided that he was, and gave him a soft sweet-dreams kiss on the cheek. She got up again but his arm reached after hers and dragged her down again, which she willingly did to offer the long, languid kiss he tried to wake up for. "Oh, have I missed you!" he said.

"I missed you too, Sleeping Beauty. Come, the food's going to be cold" she said, helping him up.

"Food! Sounds wonderful! You sure know how to speak to a starving man!" he said, staggering after her. They sat and chatted over their meal.

Mac: "You know, the place I'm going to now is beautiful. Why wouldn't you join me for the week end? By plane it wouldn't take so long"

Nikki: "Why not! It could be nice, I could actually take my Friday off too if I manage to finish this report on time. Would I be in your way if I come one day earlier? Oh! But, what am I saying! I can't take Friday off, I've got that meeting with the Chinese delegation. Sorry about that"

Mac: "Too bad! We still have the week end though. It is quite much hiking, but easy ground"

Nikki: "That's settled then" Later on, she asked: "Mac, did you tell anyone about us?"

Mac: "Why no, I had to tell Pete but I don't think anyone else knows. Why?"

Nikki: "I suppose some people have noticed that you come more often in my office and that you don't yell on your way out anymore..." she smiled. "I think Cathy guessed. And probably Marion too. Do you think we have to keep it secret much longer?"

Mac: "I see no reason for telling people. I mean, we don't have to lie if they find out, but it's none of their business either. Besides, it could be wise not to make it known, we have enemies that may use it against us"

Nikki: "Tell me about it! That's what the Russians did. But we had not said a word to anyone, and we were just recently together. So enemies looking for that kind of information would find out anyway. No, I was thinking about Craig actually..."

Mac, surprised: "Bannister?"

Nikki: "Yes... he... kind of.. hopes I would go for a date with him. I have refused all his invitations so far but he doesn't take the hint... I don't want to be rude after what he has gone through with Ingrid, but it would perhaps be easier for him if he knew I'm seeing someone"

Mac: "Ah. And you think he has to know that that someone is me?"

Nikki: "Yes... no... no, he doesn't have to. But when he knows I have someone, I guess it will not take him long to figure out who it is, don't you think?"

Mac: "I suppose, yeah... It's just.. I don't feel comfortable having people knowing too much about my private life you know"

Nikki: "I know, I noticed that. Never knew who you were dating and for how long!"

Mac, surprised: "Were you actually following?"

Nikki: "Oh yeah! Bachelors' love life is a great subject of conversation at the coffee machine!"

Mac, on the rand of panic: "WHAT?"

Nikki laughed: "Come on Mac! Of course it is. We women care about people around us. We want to see them happy ever after!"

Mac: "Ever after?! What you mean?!"

Nikki: "You know... marriage, children... happy ever after..."

Mac, not enjoying himself at all: "Oh come on Nikki, stop it will you? You can't be serious!"

Nikki, aware that she was on an uncertain ground, took a concerned voice: "I am serious Mac. We care. I care. I want to see you happy. But I am not stupid, I know you must have good reasons for keeping that bachelor's lifestyle of yours. One day perhaps, your reasons won't be good enough and you will change your mind. Or perhaps it will never happen... It is your choice, your life..."

Mac relaxed a bit as she let go, but still, he kept an eye on her while she was filling the kettle and preparing a pot of tea. Some of his former girlfriends had tried to play therapist with him, to change his mind, to have him promise things... He knew how to deal with that, and it usually meant the end of the relationship at some point. But Nikki's approach was new. And because she did not ask nor seemed to expect anything from him, there was no pressure to flee from, he felt free to start thinking about it...

* * *

He remained very quiet for the rest of the evening, and Nikki was wise enough to adapt. She sat on the couch before him so it would be his choice to sit close to her and put his arm around her. Which he luckily did before pressing the remote control to start the movie. She had noticed that he had chosen a movie that was more in her taste than his, which meant he would not be fully concentrated and would either fall asleep, or use the time to think of something else. She was hoping for the latest, but in the middle of the movie she felt his head getting heavier and heavier, and soon he was sleeping on her shoulder. She smiled to herself and put her arm around him so they would be comfortable. He was so cute when he slept, and yet, so handsome... She carefully run a hand through the bushy hair, stroke her thumb on his freshly shaved jaw, barely touching his cheek with the top of her fingers. Softly, she kissed his lips, nested his head deeper in her neck and returned her attention to the movie. After the final scene, she pressed the remote control to rewind the tape, then she moved her numbed arm a little so that her hand would wake up. Obviously, Mac's hand woke up too, as it began to find its way from her lap to her chest, and his lips were searching their way to her mouth. As it went, he pushed her slowly down on the couch and began to open her blouse while exploring her skin. She had managed to pull his sweater over his head and freed his arms from it. As their skins enjoyed each other's warmth and softness, his hands became more demanding and found their way under her skirt. Although she was dying with desire, she stopped him: "Are you sure you can?" she said, concerned by his wounded ribs. "No I can't, it would be too painful" he whispered. "But you can" he said before burying his face in her blouse.

* * *

 **TBC...**


	7. Chapter 7

_Chapter seven_

As dawn found them, Nikki's naked body was rolled in a soft plaid and she rested on Mac's bare shoulder. He was contemplating the ceiling, one arm around her, thinking about how strange life was. His wound had prevented him from satisfying his own body, yet he had found a great pleasure in giving her his full attention. He was also deeply touched by the respect and understanding she had showed him when the conversation had gone on the subject he feared the most. He had not realized it then, but the more he thought about it, the deeper the feeling of her respect for him touched him. If she could keep it that way, he felt he actually could come to be less afraid by the idea of commitment.. It was too early to know of course, they had only been together for a few weeks, it was not really love, but it felt good and secure. As for children... He always thought he would like to have one, he loved kids and they usually loved him too. But never having been able to commit to a potential mother, he had always kept away from the idea. It would be nice to have kids. Wasn't it strange to feel less scared of having a kid than to commit to a woman? Having a child was the strongest commitment he could ever make, and yet, it did not scare him. That kind of commitment felt just fine, he knew he could be a good father. A very good father indeed. But well, again, it was just an idea, it would probably never happen. He wondered what Nikki's dreams were when it came to children?

As sun rays entered the house boat, Mac stood up, found his sweater and went silently to the kitchen to prepare some pancakes. As he was opening the oven to keep the first ones warm, Nikki woke up: "Hi. Mmmm, smells good! What are you doing?"

Mac: " My famous whole wheat banana pancakes! Slept well?"

Nikki: "Wonderful. Your couch is very comfortable you know?"

Mac: "Yeah, I've had a couple of nights on it myself"

Nikki stood up, and warping the plaid around her she joined Mac in the kitchen. She cuddled up with him: "I had a wonderful night, thank you" He smiled and kissed her softly.

"I don't think you'll have time for more than a very quick shower before this is ready. But you'll find a robe in the bathroom, could be more convenient than holding the plaid while eating your breakfast"

When she came down, the table was dressed and warm pancakes awaited.

"Splendid!" she said appreciatively. "Or how to start a delightful day" He smiled at her before pouring tea in her cup.

* * *

Mac was sitting in the bus, waving to Nikki who grew smaller and smaller as the bus drove away. There was only three other passengers and they sat each at their end of the bus, so Mac rolled his jacket under his head and was soon dozing. He woke up in the middle of the day and had a snacks while he looked around at the landscape. He was glad that he was not driving that never-ending road himself. At last he arrived at destination. The car rental was just back the bus stop, and he could see a sign to the motel a little further up the road. That was a little town alright! He walked to the motel to drop his stuff and phone Pete and Nikki, letting them know he had arrived. Then he went to the local bar and enjoyed a simple but large meal. The day had been long, sitting in that bus, so he decided to take a walk before sunset. The nature was beautiful but he knew it could get quite chilly at night so he took a little rucksack with an extra jacket and some snacks. He run the first kilometers so as to use some of his energy, as well as for checking how his ribs would respond. He could feel it was not completely healed but he managed to run and was happy to be able to do so. The day after, he walked from the motel on a large round trip that covered five of his sample spots. Then he would have eight left for the day after, but he would need to rent a car as the area was too far away to walk to.

It was dark when he came back to the motel after his first day. A car was now parked in font of the room next to his, and he could hear a child complaining from inside. He went to his room to drop the rucksack and take a shower, then he went out again to get some food. While he was eating a well earned meal, he studied the map over the area he would cover the day after. Back at the motel, he did not switch the lights on but went directly to the bathroom, then to bed. He was taking his clothes off when he noticed a shadow in front of his window, someone was trying to see inside his room... The door knot was slowly turned, and as the door was locked, the knot was turned silently back to place. The shadow walked past his window again and disappeared. Mac ran to the window, trying to see who it was and where it went. It looked like the person went in the room next to his, and he heard the door closing. This was very strange! His first thought was the Russians. But he knew they were in jail. Then Murdoc. But even if Murdoc was alive, he would probably not be fit enough to follow Mac so soon after his fall from the Widowmaker. Who could that be?! Mac slowly opened his door and had a careful look through the neighbor's window. He could only see a woman with a woolen shawl and a little boy with jeans overall and very short ginger hair. The boy was sitting on the bed, sobbing, the woman speaking nicely to him, offering a cup of what looked like warm cocoa. The boy refused it and turned his back to her, so she put it back on the table. Mac could see nothing strange. He waited a little so as to see if there was someone else in the room, but as he could not see anything alarming, he went back to his room, wondering if the shadow could have been the woman? Perhaps she wanted to check that they had no neighbor so as to make sure the child would not disturb anyone? He went to bed and mentally prepared his trip for the day after, when he jumped as the child next room was suddenly shouting. He could not distinct the words, but that child was angry alright. Angry and... scared? There was something in the tone of the boy that made Mac run to the bathroom to fetch a glass which he applied against the wall. He pressed his ear against it and listened. "I want to go home!" cried the child. "Take me back, I want my Ma!" The voice of the woman came muffled and it was difficult to understand the words, but she was speaking calmly. It sounded like she managed to calm him down and it was silent again. Mac kept listening for a while but did not hear more. He wondered what that was about, was the child on a trip with some relative and did not want to go? Well, that was probably nothing to worry about. He went to bed and fell asleep.

* * *

Early in the morning, Mac parked his rented car on a rest area along the road, and taking his backpack he walked toward the first sample spot on the map. The forest was damping from the night's humidity and he enjoyed the scents of humus, the sound of a running creek and the birds' songs. He felt he was lucky who had such a job that sent him on missions feeling more like holidays than work. He checked his GPS, followed the creek for five more minutes and fetched a test tube in the rucksack. He filled it with water from the creek, corked it and put it back in its holder in the backpack. Then he walk toward the next plot on his map. The round trip for all the five samples took him four hours. He enjoyed his lunch on a little hill from where he had a nice view. The rest area was within a stone's throw away, so he could hear before he saw that someone was having troubles with a car back there. When he arrived, a woman was trying to open the smoking hood of a brown car. Mac let his backpack in his car and went to her: "Hi" he said, which made the woman jump in surprise. "Sorry, I did not mean to scare you. Mind if I have a look?" The woman smiled at him in a strange way, like she wasn't really happy for the company but felt she did not have much choice. However, she used a very friendly tone to answer: "Yes of course, please! I don't know what happened to this car, I never had problems with it before"

Mac: "Well, it looks like it got too warm, that's all. We will have to wait so that it cools down before we can open the radiator and fill it" Mac recognized his neighbor from last night, the woman with her woolen shawl and her calm voice.

Mac: "You're not usually driving long distances with that car, are you?" Reluctant to answer his question, the woman just shook her head. He insisted: "I don't know how far your car can hold before you have to pay a visit to a garage" The explanation seemed to relax the woman's suspicion. She told him that the car was mostly used for short distances but that she and her son were taking a holiday and they would be driving quite much, so if he could help them to fix the car she would be most grateful.

Mac: "I can check the liquid levels for you but without tools there isn't much more I can check. Do you have a bottle or something? We will need some warm water to fill the radiator" The woman went to the car and found an empty bottle. "Johnny!" she said to the boy in the car "You will go to the lavatories and get some warm water please" Without a word, the boy took the bottle and went to the lavatories. Mac couldn't help noticing that he had gone to the ladies.

When he came back, he handled the bottle to Mac but did not let go of it. He was looking at Mac as if he had seen a ghost... Mac smiled and thanked him. Then the boy released the bottle and cast a glance at his mother, who was observing him carefully. "Go back in the car now Johnny please" she said in a soft but yet cold voice. Menacing, Mac thought... The boy was hesitating. "Er... Yes Mother" Mac filled the radiator, advised the woman to stop at the next garage to get the car checked, and wished her and her son a pleasant holidays. Then he sat in his own car and drove away. He had had an unpleasant feeling about this woman all along and was glad to leave. He had noted her car number, just in case. There was probably nothing but he had a feeling...

* * *

The next sampling area was a little more than one hour driving away, but he had only three samples to take there. As he passed a little town on the way, he filled the tank and phoned Pete about the car. Then he bought some snacks and phoned Pete again to hear if he had anything on the woman.

Pete: "The car is registered to a Mrs Austin. Do you have a description of this woman? She live in the same neighborhood as a little girl that disappeared yesterday"

Mac: "She had a boy with her, no girl. She is of middle height, bony profile, protruding blue eyes, reddish hair, in her forties"

Pete: "Sure it was a boy? Got a description of him?"

Mac: "Very short ginger hair, freckles, brown eyes, about eight, ten year-old. She called him Johnny"

Pete: "Then it is probably nothing wrong with her. Want me to check with the police?"

Mac: "You are probably right, but check it out anyway. I had a strange feeling, something was not as it should be. There was something the boy said yesterday... That he wanted to go home to his mom or something. I thought then that she would be some relative, but today he called her Mother"

Pete: "I'll check. Give me a call in one hour"

Mac: "Pete, I'll drive to my next area. I phone you as soon as I find a phone, right?"

Pete: "Right. Drive carefully now"

Mac: "Yes mom"

He was driving through a no man's land and it took a while before he could find a gas station from where he could call Pete back.

Pete: "Ah! It's you! What took you so long?!"

Mac: "Well, there was no..."

Pete: "Doesn't matter, listen! The description of the woman you saw corresponds to this Mrs Austin. She is living alone, not very social. Her caretaker says she never took a holidays since she moved inn 4 years ago. And that she has no children"

Mac: "No children? So the boy...?"

Pete: "Exactly! The police is closing the roads to Canada now"

Mac: "I told her to check on the car in the next town, want me to drive back?"

Pete: "No Mac, she's probably passed you by now, but the police is informed, they will have an eye on her and this little girl. There's no much more you can do now, nice job!"

* * *

Mac left the main road to a forest lane and followed it for some miles before he spotted the path he was looking for. He grabbed his rucksack and the map, checking on the GPS that it was the right place to start from, then he walked briskly toward the first afternoon's sampling spot. It was about five o'clock when he placed the day's eighth sample with the others in the backpack's holder. On his way back, he spotted a cabin with smoking pipe, which was uncommon this time of the year as the area was mostly used by town people during week ends and holidays. Feeling social, Mac made his way toward the cabin. Someone was sitting on a chair under the porch. The poor man had bandages on the head, plaster cast on one arm, and from the look of the blanket on his lap, he also had one on a leg. At first Mac felt compassion for the wounded man, but as he came closer, he froze in astonishment and horror! Murdoc had also recognized him and was pulling a bazooka from under his blanket! "Hello MacGyver!" the madman laughed, aiming at him. Mac, running away for dear life, felt the blast and the warmth from the explosion in his back. He heard yelling as Murdoc was calling for his accomplices to run after him. "It's not possible! It's not possible! He is dead! He has to be dead! That's a nightmare!" thought Mac who could not make sense of it! Bullets were fired at him but they were still far away, he had a fair chance to escape. Holding his ribs, he ran all he could to the car, but as he spotted it, he brutally stopped. Someone was standing there. It was the boy with ginger hair!

Coming back to his senses, Mac ran to him: "Johnny? What are you doing here?"

Johnny: "Please don't be mad at me!"

Mac: "Are you alone here? Where is your mother?"

Johnny: "She is not my mother. I don't want to go back! Please! Don't take me back to her!"

Mac, trying to calm the child, made him climb in the car and, checking for Murdoc's accomplices, he drove away as fast as he could. Then, he asked the boy to tell him what had happened. "I saw you at Mr Huntman's shop the other day. You are the man with the jeep, you were late. I saw you, I often sit there after school. When I recognized you this morning, I thought you could take me home so I hide in your trunk when Mrs Austin told me to go back in her car"

Mac: "In my trunk? Oh man!" he sighed... "You've been in my trunk all afternoon? And Mrs Austin? She's the woman who was with you? I thought she was your mother"

Johnny: "No, she is not! She took me to her flat yesterday, it was raining and she said she would give me a cup of cocoa. Then, I fell asleep. When I woke up, we were driving in her car. She said I had to call her Mother. She thinks I am Johnny, but I am not, he is dead"

Mac: "Er... What? Wait a minute! Who is Johnny then? And you... Who are you?"

Johnny: "Johnny is her boy. He drowned in the harbor when he was 4. She took me with her and cut my hair so I would look like a boy, she thinks Johnny's come back. But I am not Johnny, my name is Melissa and I want to go to my Ma"

* * *

 **TBC...**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hi! Sorry for the delay in updating, I am now writing each chapter after publishing the last one and it takes some more time. Hope you're still hanging there and enjoy the story**

* * *

 _Chapter eight_

Mac was driving back to the motel, looking for a phone on the way, Melissa finally sleeping on the back seat. He had done and heard many things in his life but this was nuts! First Murdoc in that cabin pulling a bazooka from under his blankets, then the girl hidden in his trunk for hours! That poor mother back home, she was probably scared to death... And Mrs Austin, where would she be now? Poor soul... It was awful to think about what she had gone through, loosing a young child and stealing someone else's. At last he found a gas station. Melissa was still sleeping and he wondered if it was safe to leave her in the car, knowing that Murdoc could be after him, and Mrs Austin after her.

Mac: "Melissa? Hey, Melissa! You have to wake up, we will call the police so that your Ma knows you are OK" Melissa woke up slowly, wondering where she was at first, but the nice man smiling at her was reassuring and she remembered. She followed him to the phone. After they had spoken to the police, Mac offered her a snacks and phoned Pete. He told him about Melissa, and about his encounter with Murdoc. He had also told the police about Murdoc but he did not think they would find any track after him at the cabin. He had certainly vanished already, he was good at that. Pete did not like what he heard. "Mac!" he said. "I want you to come back at once. I don't want to have you wandering in the forest with this madman around!"

Mac: "Come on Pete! The man is wounded, he can't walk. And now that he is discovered, I bet you anything that he has moved to an other part of the country already"

Pete: "You don't know that! He could send his men on your tracks. No Mac, these samples can wait. Please come home. Take the first plane will you?"

Mac: "Now you are over reacting Pete. I have all your samples but I had planed to take the week end here"

Pete: "Call me what you want but come back home. Please"

Mac: "Oh man! Murdoc knows where I live too you know?!"

Pete: "Yeah, well. What about the child?"

Mac: "The police will be here soon, they'll take her back home to her Ma"

Pete: "OK then. Do as you want"

The police arrived at the same moment and Mac had to hang up. They took his declaration and informed him that they had arrested Mrs Austin already. She had spent much time at the rest area, looking for the child in the wood. They took the girl with them but she refused to climb in their car and ran back to Mac. "I want to stay with you, I don't want to go with the police!"

Mac: "Honey, the police will take you home to your Ma, you'll be fine"

Melissa: "Why can't you take me?"

Mac: "It's the police's job, they know just what to do when a little girl has to go back to her Ma"

Melissa: "Pleease?"

Policeman: "We can't let you do that sir, it's a matter of security. That child is our responsibility" The policeman took Melissa's hand and wanted to lead her to the car, but she fought her hand out of his and ran back to Mac, hiding back his leg. "Er... right." said Mac, looking at the policeman who was as embarrassed as he was with the situation. "Look. I'll have a phone call to make, and the car to deliver back at the car rental, then I can come with you OK?" Both Melissa and the policeman were happy with that, and the little girl hold his hand firmly to be sure he would not change his mind. Mac took the phone to explain the situation to Nikki, who was supposed to join him the day after. Thanks to a little plane, they were back in Los Angeles by evening. An inspector and Melissa's mother were waiting for them. The poor woman had been so worried, she could not stop the stream of tears on her cheeks. Mac and Melissa had to answer some more questions from the inspector before they were free to go. The little girl hadn't let go of Mac's hand since he had agreed to come with her, and even though she was now in her mother's arms, she was reluctant to see him leave. "I'll see you at Mr Huntman's shop Melissa" he promised. "And perhaps I can visit you, if it's OK with your Ma?" Melissa's mother looked fondly at him through her tears and nodded.

Melissa: "Do you have kids MacGyver?"

Mac: "No Melissa. I don't"

Melissa: "Then, perhaps you could borrow me sometimes?"

Mac: "Yeah Melissa, I'd like that. Maybe you and your Ma would like a boat trip some time?"

They smiled at each other, and Mac gave them a comforting goodbye hug before they left, Melissa waving goodbye over her mother's shoulder.

* * *

"Mac!" Nikki called as she was hurrying from the parking lot. He hasted toward her and hugged her. "Who was that?" she asked, edge in her voice. Mac broke the hug to look at her.

Mac: "That's Melissa, the little girl who had been kidnapped"

Nikki: "Ah... Right... Her mother looks very young, isn't she?"

Mac: "I don't know... She must be in her thirties I guess"

Nikki: "Yeah, I figure.."

Mac: "Why do you say that?"

Nikki: "Single mother, so young, not very responsible I suppose"

Mac: "What's with you Nikki?! You don't even know her!"

Nikki: "I'm a woman Mac, I saw how she was looking at you!"

Mac: "WHAT?"

Nikki: "Oh yeah. She was definitely happy to see you, and you weren't the last to hug her"

Mac: "Nikki! She just got her daughter back after she was kidnapped! And I happen to be the guy who found the girl! Of course she was happy to see me!" he cried in disbelief, turning toward the parking lot in exasperation. Then a thought stopped him and he narrowed his eyes "Nikki? Are you _jealous_?"

Nikki blushed slightly and looked ashamed. "Sorry..."

Mac: "Right! I'm not having any of that! You have no reason to be jealous, and you don't own me, OK?"

Nikki: "Is that why you kept your bachelor's life for so long? So you were free to have any woman you wanted?"

Mac: "What?! Look! That poor woman's had two awful days and wouldn't stop crying. I was trying to COMFORT HER!"

Nikki stubbornly kept her mouth pursed, not willing to believe his complete innocence. Perhaps he had been in good faith, but the woman... Nikki was sure she had noticed how handsome Mac was.

Mac: "You are making no sense Nikki. I'll get a cab!" he shouted.

Pete: "Mac! You OK?!"

Mac: "Pete! Thank you!" he cried to the sky at the sight of his friend.

Nikki: "Oh boy, you're going to make a scene now?"

Mac, outraged: "So _I_ am the one making a scene now?! Did you hear yourself?!"

Pete: "wowowow kids... What happened?"

Nikki and Mac talking in each other's mouth and accusing each other loudly, Pete covered his ears and looked at them in bewilderment. They'd always been fighting but this... made no sense at all!

Pete: "Shut up now! Both of you!" They jumped at the interruption and stopped at once. Pete didn't give them time to regain their spirits either, he knew too well how these arguments went. "Nikki, you go home. Mac, I'll drive you. Wop! No argument! Now!"

Still fuming, they nonetheless did as their boss had said, following him to the parking lot and the respective cars. Nikki ignited her engine and left in a rage. Pete followed her with his eyes, worried that she would bump in something on the way. He cast a side glance at Mac, who kept his eyes down.

Pete: "What was that now?" Mac looked sheepishly at him. "She's jealous Pete! She put up a scene because I gave a hug to that poor woman who wouldn't stop crying after two days thinking she would never see her daughter again!" he complained.

Pete: "You know Mac... Nikki was worried to..."

Mac: "For the girl?" he wondered.

Pete: "For you"

Mac couldn't be more surprised. He had not thought of that. Of course she would worry about him, and when she was worried, she would not cry but she was prone to bicker. Damn, he thought... I should have known...

Pete: "It's going to be a tough marriage if you two continue like that"

Mac: " _Marriage_?! What are you talking about?!"

Pete: "Well, that is... if you two..."

Mac: "I'm not gonna marry her Pete! Are you insane!?"

Pete: "I know you've not been together very long, but what is it then? If you can't see a future together? Are you using her?"

Mac: "Pete! No! Of course not!"

Pete: "Then what is it?"

Mac: "It's... wha... I don't know! Can't you just... drive me home and drop it?"

Pete: "Nikki's my friend too Mac. I don't want her to be hurt"

Mac: "Hey! She's the one who started this!"

Pete: "Maybe.. But if you aren't serious about it, she'll get hurt"

Mac: "I AM serious! I just... arrrgh! Can't you just drive?!"

Pete: "Still that problem with commitment?"

Mac: "Pete! If you don't drive now I swear, I'll get outta here and walk home!"

Pete looked at his now furious friend and, deciding to drop it for the moment, he started the car.

* * *

TBC...


	9. Chapter 9

_Chapter nine_

Once at the marina, Mac thanked Pete for the ride and walked briskly to his houseboat. Irritated still, he picked his mail and slammed the door close. He threw his bag in a corner, got the bottle of orange juice from the fridge and he closed the door with his hip while scanning his mail. Nothing but advertising, he threw the lot in the recycling bin with a sigh. Crashing on the well used sofa, he surfed through the channels to try and find something that would distract him from his ire. She had no right to accuse him like that! He was free to do whatever he wanted to, and hug anyone he felt to hug! Did she have so little faith in him that she thought he would cheat on her at the first occasion?! Man! That was insulting! And hurting... Did she really think he was that kind of guy?! Hell. He had thought she had more respect for him than that. If she didn't trust him, then they had nothing to do together anymore. He could not be with someone who would doubt him like that. He had many female friends and no intention to give them up for the sake of Nikki's misplaced jealousy.

He was tossing and turning on the sofa, annoyed that he couldn't find anything interesting enough on TV to catch his attention, when the phone suddenly rang. "Who's calling that late?" he growled. "Better not be Jack now..."

Nikki: "Mac, hi.. It's me.."

Mac: "Nikki" he said, surprised but not too happy to hear her.

Nikki: "Mac, I'm sorry. Can I come over?"

Mac: "Look Nikki, I appreciate you calling but I'm still mad at you so let's wait a little more, OK?"

Nikki: "I understand. I'm sorry. I'll call back tomorrow"

Mac: "Fine. Good night"

Nikki: "Night Mac"

He stood there for a while, looking at the phone back in its cradle. "That was a jerk's answer Mac. Well done" He walked back to the kitchen island and found something to munch on while he debated with himself. "I AM still mad at her so it was best to tell her not to come... But she said she was sorry.. Thing is, she's sorry now, but what about next time? She won't see things differently next time she sees me hugging another woman, will she? Nope... Marriage? What's gone into Pete now?! Didn't know he was into the happily-ever-after business too. Oh but wait a minute now! Isn't it what _Nikki_ was talking about the other day? Have the two of them been talking together?! No... They wouldn't!... would they? Damn! Of course they had! Now would be the perfect time for Jack to call and ask for help to fly a shipment of plants to Nicaragua. Even Murdoc would be a welcome distraction just now. Geez! I'm so wired, I'll never be able to sleep!"

Mac took his jacket and left the house. If he wasn't going to sleep, he could at least make himself useful at the Challenger club. They were always short of adults at night.

* * *

Cynthia: "Mac! So good to see you!" she said, giving him a welcome hug.

Mac: "Hi Cynthia! How are you?"

Cynthia: "Good, good... What are you doing here this late?"

Mac: "Ha, you know me. Insomnia, that kind of things... So I thought I'd come and see if you needed any help. You alone?"

Cynthia: "Yes, Breeze got himself a job at the garage now, and he works evenings at the gas station, so I sent him home, he needs his sleep"

Mac: "So do you. I'll take over here"

Cynthia: "Sounds heavenly... We have 7 kids sleeping and 5 more for breakfast... so far"

Mac: "I get it. Go have some sleep"

Cynthia: "Thanks Mac. And if you ever get bored, the sink is leaking, and the weight machine is out of its axis"

Mac made a mock salute and she smiled back before she left. Mac found the tool box and started working as silently as possible.

The last two hours of his night had been spent over the stove flipping pancakes for 15+ kids and after a happy breakfast with the Challenger's hosts, Mac was looking forward to a shower and a couple of hours sleep. He parked the jeep on his usual spot at the marina and picked his newspaper from the postbox before he noticed that he hadn't locked his door the night before. He was not really good at it, thinking that if anyone wanted to break in, it was so easy to just break the window and no one would hear anyway. He threw his jacket on the back of a chair and climbed the stairs two steps at a time. Once in the bathroom he undressed quickly, feeling like everything was smelling of pancakes! The shower was good on his sore shoulder and neck muscles, but he was glad he could not feel his ribs anymore, and after drying up he just walked to his bed for some well deserved sleep. He was kind of surprised to find his bed made. He couldn't remember doing that last time he had left it... Nikki's perfume was still in the pillow and he kind of missed her. He decided to call her when he would wake up, perhaps have lunch together, and talk.

* * *

Mac: "Hi Nikki, it's me, Mac"

Nikki: "Hi" she said coldly after a little silence. Mac flinched.

Mac: "You OK?"

Nikki: "Where were you last night?"

Mac: "What?"

Nikki: "You were not home. I went to your place to talk to you, there was no one. I waited all night, I even slept there and you were not back in the morning! Mac! Are you seeing someone else?!" she cried.

Mac: " _Excuse me_?"

Nikki: "I'd better know at once Mac, I can't go on like that!" she sobbed.

Mac: "I can't believe it! What are you talking about? I was at the Challenger Club Nikki! The Challenger Club!" he yelled, exasperated. There was a silence on the other end. He heard a sniffing before she spoke again with a little voice: "Really?"

Mac: "Yes, really. So stop it now will you?!"

Nikki: "I'm sorry Mac"

Mac: "Stop being sorry and start trusting me. Or we could just stop... you know... dating"

Nikki: "Mac please! Don't do that! I'll... I'll be better, I promise, OK?"

Mac had never liked this sentence. It was always a bad sign in a relationship, but he didn't want to throw that at Nikki's head now that she was upset and crying.

Mac: "Look... we're both upset, we shouldn't make any promise or decision just now. Let's just... cool down. We can talk later"

Nikki: "Mac!"

Mac: "Be reasonable will you? I'll pick you up after work OK"

Nikki: "Yeah... you're right.. OK"

Mac: "Good. See you then"

Nikki: "Bye"

* * *

Spotting Mac's jeep entering the parking lot, Nikki walked nervously to meet the man that had the power to trigger emotions from both ends of her scale. How could he do that? They were so different and still, she had a soft spot for him, there was no denying it. As she was opening the door and sitting in the car, she could still feel her irritation from last night, see that girl's eyes on him, her embarrassment at her own reaction and yet, she also knew she was right, he was so handsome, and skilled with his hands and... yummy... Gosh! How can I have all those feelings for him at once! she thought, feeling her inside turning upside down with lust.

Feeling the turmoil, Mac cast an inquisitive look at her. He was confused. A moment ago she had those pursed lips but now she looked like she.. er... no... Could she now? He was about to put the jeep into gear when she stopped his arm, one hand hesitantly climbing to the collar of his leather jacket while the other reached for his jaw. Gaining assurance, she dragged his head down toward her and caught his lips in a kiss. First he was wondering what she wanted, but as he started to respond, she turned passionate, desire burning her chore like a match lighting a gas burner. Attacking the upper button of his shirt, she was maneuvering to straddle him, right there, in the middle of the parking lot at the Phoenix Foundation. She wanted him now, there was no time to go home!

"Mmmhf! Nikki! Stop! What are you doing?!" Mac said, trying to hold her back.

"I want you. I want you now!" she purred, pulling on his shirt to free it from his pants.

"No! You can't do that! Nikki! Nikki stop!"

"I need you, I know you want me too! I can feel it.." she panted, patting his groin.

"Well I... No! Stop!" he said firmly, pushing her back. With a groan she sat back in her seat.

"What was that now?" he wanted to know. He had a feeling that she was trying to manipulate him into forgetting her little stunt from the day before and he hated it.

"Oh Mac! I just... Raaahh!" she growled in frustration. "You have no idea of the effect you have on me right?!"

"What effect..?"

"Sometimes I see you and I just... feel this wave of... this... unbearable desire wash over me.. I..."

Squinting in astonishment and sympathy, Mac was still embarrassed to learn that he had that effect on her. What if he had it on other people too?! Spotting colleagues leaving the building, he felt they needed a more private place to talk and started the car. "OK... let's.. drive somewhere more discrete mmm..?" Nikki sighed and adjusted her shirt. "OK.."

* * *

Nikki and Mac were sitting on the beach, both trying their best not to argue but visibly tense.

"Melissa -the little girl who was kidnapped- called me today, and asked if she could visit. I intend to invite her and her mother for a boat trip on Sunday. You are welcome to join us. What you say?"

"I don't know Mac, I really like you and I love being with you. At the same time I know how handsome you are and how... mmm.. good.. how good it is to..."

"I got your point Nikki, thank you.." he interrupted, embarrassed.

"Anyway, you're a good man, and I'm always afraid I'll loose you to some madman like Murdoc or those Russians, or another woman who would notice you and snatch you away from me. I know I don't own you, I know that, and I've never been jealous with my husband... But since I lost him, I've been so afraid of loosing someone else... Then Daniel died.. and I..." she stopped, her throat sore from the lump forming there. Mac gave her a comforting hug, moved himself at the evocation of her brother's death. He could never forget the horror of Daniel being run over before his very eyes, and the utmost despair of not being able to do anything to save his friend.

"I understand Nikki" he said when she had collected herself. "But I know a lot of women, and I'll meet many more. My job is dangerous and there is always a risk that something will happen. You can't lock me up in a cage. That's the way I am, that's how I live"

"I know Mac, I know..."

"Do you think you can handle it?" he asked. She remained silent for a long time and he respected her need for reflection.

"Honestly Mac, I think I can handle it... as a friend... but not as a lover" she said with a sad voice.

"So...?"

"So I have to be honest and accept that I can't see how we could continue together. I love to be your friend and I hope we can keep that, but that's it... I'm sorry"

"I'm sorry too Nikki, I loved being with you but I'm glad you are honest with yourself and with me. I'm glad we tried it anyway"

"Me too Mac. I sure hope you find someone who can stand your way of life, you sure deserve it"

"You too Nikki, you deserve to be loved, you've got so much to give! I just hope you find someone outside our department"

"Why? You think it'd be hard for you if I dated someone under your nose?"

"No, it's not that! But if you want someone with a safe way of life, the Phoenix Foundation is not the place to look!" he chuckled. She smiled and leaned back on his shoulder, enjoying the comfort of her friend before she'd have to go home, alone.

* * *

 **THE END**


End file.
